quietly away, and jumping into a boat paddled after
the two canoes which had emerged from under the cliff a moment before,
and were now sliding swiftly down stream.

CHAPTER XXXVI

HOME AGAIN

It was some time before the boys could talk coherently. A dry change of
clothes and the good supper their companions had prepared in readiness,
made Ned and Nugget feel pretty much like themselves again, and sitting
about the camp fire they told the thrilling story of their adventure.

Then Clay and Randy related their escape from the flood, telling how
they had reached a break in the cliff--a steep, bushy slope--up which
they dragged their canoes in time to avoid the sudden deluge.

The missing links were supplied by Jonas Packer.

"I seen you two fellows shoot into the cavern," he said, "and as soon as
the flood went down a little, I took my boat and went across to the
other chaps, who were pretty badly scared about that time. Knowin' all
about the cavern, I relieved their minds a little and persuaded them to
paddle around the bend with me to the place where the cavern came out.
Then we all went inside and waited and waited for two or three hours, I
reckon. You see I kinder expected you boys to come straight through
without upsetting.

"I was afraid then to wade up the channel for fear of more high water.
But when evening come, an' no signs of you yet, the thing began to look
serious. So I told those lads to h'ist the tent an' get supper
ready--more to cheer them than anything else--an' then I lit the pine
torch I'd brought along, and struck into the cavern, bent on going clear
through if I could, and the rest of my story you fellows know. It was a
narrow escape, I tell you."

"It was the worst adventure I ever had," said Ned. "The time we were in
there seemed like days instead of hours. Is the cavern very long?"

"Not more'n half a mile. It took you a good while to come through
though. It was about eight o'clock in the evening when I found you. You
see the cavern cuts straight under the hill, and enters the creek again
below the bend. To go around by land it's a good mile and a half.

"In low water both ends of the cavern are high and dry, and you can go
all the way through on foot. Indian Cave is what they call it because
the Indians used to hide there more'n a hundred years ago."

Mr. Packer related several interesting reminiscences of the cavern,
until he saw that the boys were getting sleepy. Then he le