at he took helped restore the circulation.

"Wow! There's going to be an exciting time in Gridley," grinned Dan
Dalzell.

"What day is it now?" inquired Greg.

"Monday--afternoon," Prescott answered.

"My folks must be stirred up."

"They're crazy," Dan supplied very impressively.

"How far is this place from Gridley?"

"Six miles. Don't you know where you are, Greg!"

"Haven't an idea in the world."

"How did you get here? What happened?"

"Wait a little while," begged Greg. "I've just got to spit all the oakum
taste out of my mouth before I want to do much talking."

By this time they were at the tunnel that led outside.

"Hullo, Tom!" called Dick through the tunnel.

"Hullo yourself, and see how you like it!" came from outside.

"Tom," cried Dick joyously, "we've found Greg! We're bringing him with
us."

"Can't he bring himself?" demanded Reade. Then, in a suddenly scared
voice:

"Is he--dead?"

"Dead sore on oakum as a food," laughed Dan, grinning broadly.

Dick, holding the light, was piloting Greg through the tunnel. In a few
moments all were outside. Tom and Harry danced a jig for sheer joy.

"Greg, aren't you thirsty?" demanded Dick, as young Holmes stood
blinking in the bright sunlight.

"I shall be, as soon as I get the oakum washed out of my mouth,"
grimaced Greg. "Whew! What a vile taste that sort of stuff has!"

"Folks in the good old town won't believe us when we get back," muttered
Darrin.

"Yes, they will; they'll have to," insisted Dan, producing some articles
from one of his pockets. "Here are some of the cords you cut from Greg's
wrists and ankles, and here's some of the oakum."

"Throw that oakum stuff away, or else hide it. Please do," begged young
Holmes, making a wry face.

"Come on. There's no time to be lost," advised Dick. "We've got a long
way to go, and Greg needs the exercise. Besides, he's thirsty and
hungry--or ought to be."

Within five minutes the Grammar School boys came across a spring. There
Greg knelt and took in several mouthfuls, one after another, for the
purpose of rinsing his mouth of that nauseating oakum taste. Then, at
last, he swallowed water freely.

"My, but it's good to be out in the world again," breathed Greg happily.
"But how did you fellows find me?"

"The whole town turned out to search," Dick explained. "There was no
school to-day. And we came across clues that led us here. That's enough,
from our side. Now, tell us how you came t