argain, and, for the time being,
the boys even forgot the fact that they were exceedingly tired.

Then they seemed to be gradually ascending a grade, where the road
turned out to be somewhat better.

"I imagine we're getting close to the quarry now, fellows," Hugh
informed them; "if what I was told is true. It will lie over here on
the right; and only for the dense growth of trees with their foliage
still hanging on, we might see the cliff forming the background of
the quarry right now."

Julius and Horatio looked around them with increasing interest, and
perhaps a slight flutter of unusual vigor in the region of their
hearts. It was about as gloomy a scene as any of them had ever gazed
upon. Years had elapsed since work in the stone quarry had been
abandoned, and Nature, as usual, had done her best to hide the cruel
gashes made in her breast by man; the trees had grown and spread,
while bushes and weeds extended their sway so as to almost choke
everything around. The distant cawing of the crows sounded more
gruesome than ever amidst such surroundings; but there was no sign of
bird-life to be seen. It was as though the little feathered
creatures found this region too lonely even for their nest building.
Not even a red or gray squirrel frisked around a tree, or boldly
defied the intruders of his wilderness haunt.

"There, I just had a glimpse of the place through an opening!"
suddenly announced Hugh; "I calculate that we'll soon come in plain
sight of the whole business, for this road leads straight across the
dumps, I was told, and then on again in the direction of Hobson's
Pond."

The sun was passing behind the first cloud of the whole day just
then. Somehow the added somber conditions had an effect on all the
boys; for, with the temporary vanishing of the king of day, the
shadows around them appeared to grow bolder, and issue forth from
their secret retreats.

"Ugh! this is certainly a fierce place for a fellow to visit, say
around midnight," K. K. was forced to admit, for he was the essence
of candor at all times.

"Wild horses couldn't drag me up here at such a time as that," said
Horatio, as he looked ahead, and shivered, either with the chill of
the air, or from some other reason, he hardly knew himself.

"Hugh, would you try it if someone dared you to?" demanded Julius
suddenly, taking the bull by the horns, so to speak.

"I don't think I would, on a dare," replied the other calmly, yet
deliber