ehind him, holding
that formidable shotgun so that he could thrust it ahead of his
leader would an occasion arise necessitating action.

But Hugh had already warned him not to be rash, and under no condition
to dream of firing until he himself had given the order.

It was a queer little procession that crept up that steep trail in the
gully formed by Nature during the heavy storms of summer and winter.
The twin lanterns glimmered and flickered as the night wind puffed the
tiny blazes; and ahead of all lay the white glow of the electric
hand-torch, showing them how they were now almost at the end of
their trail.

Yes, the fissure extended straight into the face of the cliff. Hugh
was taking them directly to the place where undoubtedly the mysterious
unknown had stood on a sort of rocky platform, and indulged in all
those queer telegraphic code motions with a light of some sort.

CHAPTER XVI

A FRIENDLY GHOST

Hugh led the way straight into the fissure. As they proceeded they
could see the light ahead growing stronger. Low sounds, as of voices,
also led them onward; and then, upon turning a bend, they came upon
a sight that had them all staring with wonder.

It was indeed a cave, and of considerable dimensions. A wild beast
would have delighted in such a den in which to hide from the rigors
of winter, but to boys accustomed to the luxuries of home life it
would doubtless have few attractions, especially after the novelty of
camping-out had worn off in a week's time.

It was a fire that burned which gave the light at a pile of dry wood,
mostly broken branches of dead trees, showed that the occupant
of the cave had laid in a supply against a rainy day. There, sitting
with his back against the wall, was their missing comrade K.K. His
face looked unusually white, and bore an expression of acute pain,
which, however, he manfully tried from time to time to dismiss by a
ghastly grin, altogether assumed, since he certainly was in no mood
for laughing.

They could see that his left leg was bandaged in some manner, as
though he might have broken the bones, and someone had tried to bind
up the limb. Even with that superficial glance Hugh marked the fact
that this had been done in a fashion indicating considerable previous
experience along such lines.

And then they turned their attention upon the other party, the mysterious
one who doubtless had found poor K.K. helpless on the ground and borne
him to this