any
more danger, if we can avoid it."

"I am on my guard," answered Tom.

They soon found that the side passage narrowed greatly, so that they
had to proceed in single file and with heads bent. They moved with
their hands in front of their heads, so as to avoid a possible
collision with the rocks along the way.

Presently Dick's hand came in contact with something long and
straggling. He drew back, thinking he had touched a snake. But then
he grew bolder and found it to be a tree root.

"That shows we are close to the surface of the ground," said he. "If
the worst comes to the worst, I fancy we can dig our way upward with
our hands."

"Maybe, but we don't want this roof to cave in on us, Dick. Come on."

They continued to go forward, but now the passageway was so small
that they had to crawl on their hands and knees.

"This looks as if we were going to be blocked, after all," said Tom.

"Something is ahead," whispered Dick. "Be quiet!"

"What do you see?"

"There is an opening, and I can see a little light, and, what is
more, I hear the sounds of voices. Maybe we have run into our enemies
again!"

CHAPTER XXVIII

FROM ONE SURPRISE TO ANOTHER

Left to themselves in the woods, Fred, Songbird and Hans scarcely
knew what to do to fill in their time.

"I must say, I don't like this dividing up at all," remarked Fred,
after a half-hour had passed. "First it was Sam and Dick, and now it
is Tom. After a while none of us will know where any of the others
are. Even the dog has left us." It may be added here that they never
saw Wags again.

"Vell, you can't vos plame Tom for drying to find his brudders," came
from Hans. "I vos do dot mineselluf, of I peen him."

"I hope Tom steers clear of trouble," said Songbird. "You know how
he is--the greatest hand for getting into mischief."

The time dragged heavily on their hands, and when it grew dark not
one of them felt like retiring. Songbird tried to put on a cheerful
front, but it was a dismal failure, and nobody listened to the rhymes
he made half under his breath. 230

At last came a whistle, repeated several times in rapid succession.
Then a form emerged out of the darkness.

"Who goes there?" shouted Fred.

"Hullo, boys!" was the answering cry, and James Monday came into the
little clearing. "I was afraid I had lost my way."

"Didn't you see Tom?" they asked.

"Yes, I saw him--up to the ranch. He came with a letter, and that
spoilt about everythi