e, not so very far away, was a little spot
of light--daylight, you know. You'd better believe I hustled for it.
The tunnel had been going up hill quite some, and now it began to get
narrower and lower. Before very long I had to get down and crawl, and
then I found the light was coming between two rocks through a crack that
didn't look more than a foot or so wide. The bottom was pounded down
hard in a regular path; I s'pose that was the way the bear got in to
its den. Anyhow, there was just room for me to squeeze out, and even
then I cut my face and tore these holes in my suit."

"Kind of small, then, for a full-grown bear, I should think," commented
Ranny.

Court looked a trifle foolish. "I never thought of that," he confessed.
"Still, I bet a wildcat could do it."

"It might--only I haven't heard of any wild-cats being around here."

"What's the matter with our taking a look?" suggested Dale Tompkins.

"Going through the hole Court came out of?" asked Ranny, glancing at him.

"Sure! We've got some flash-lights, and very likely the beast is stuck
down that shaft and can't get out. I vote we try it."

Two or three fellows backed him up, but the others showed no great
enthusiasm in the venture. They were quite willing, however, to go as far
as the outside of the hole, and started off without delay, only to
meet Mr. Reed with Mr. Curtis and several scouts coming up at a brisk
trot.

When Court's story had been told over again the scoutmasters decided
that the investigation had better be made from the end that Court had
stumbled into. They had brought the rope with them, and when one end
of this was firmly fastened, Mr. Reed slid down into the old mine. He
spent some time inspecting the ancient timbering, but finally decided
that it was safe enough for those who wished to follow him. This meant
the entire assembled crowd, and when all were gathered at the bottom,
Court led the way.

The tunnel was fairly wide and over six feet high. It sloped gently
upward and was quite dry, thus accounting for the preservation of the
massive oak beams that acted as supports. Here and there along the sides
were the marks of tools, but scarcely a vestige of ore remained.

"Vein petered out, I suppose," remarked Mr. Curtis. "That's why it was
abandoned, of course."

The interest of the scouts, however, was less on the mine than on Court's
"wildcat." As they approached the shaft some hurried forward while others
kept prudently in