d the end of the narrow passage,
and dimly made out a domed room in the rock, white with translucent
encrustation.

He struck a match. About him, before, to the right and to the left he
could see forms all of ghostly white, some crouching, others standing.
Hardly had the light flared up than it sizzled out. Some drops of water
falling from the roof had extinguished the blaze. Then was repeated that
awful sound of distress.

Cales groped around almost in a frenzy of terror. Where was the exit
from that awful room? Round and round he went, and all the time there
were strange whisperings in his ears, and unseen hands seemed to clutch
his clothes. Once he slipped and was trembling so that he was hardly
able to get to his feet. Just as he did so, something swept past him
like a breath of wind. Rendered desperate he made another dash, and this
time if he had not found a passageway, he felt that he could have
knocked a hole through the wall. Then he stood at the mouth of the
cave.

CHAPTER III

THE BARBED WIRE

Just at that moment was heard the hoarse voice of Captain Broom booming
through the darkness outside.

As Cales turned about, some furry animal sprang past him dashing between
his legs and nearly upsetting him.

"On deck, you scoundrel, come out of there," called the Captain.

"Aye, aye, sir," came the reply of Cales in a strangely weak tone,
though he was now more concerned by the possible penalty to be meted out
by the Captain for disobedience of orders, than by thought of the
undetermined occupants of the cave. If it were a cat it was certainly a
good joke on old Pete. This was, had they but known it, the swift
solution of the mystery.

Oddly enough the Captain said not another word, a fact suggestive to
Cales that there was something amiss in the cave and the little company
at once took up their line of march. Captain Broom was in the lead,
followed by the mate, then Cales, with old Pete bringing up the rear.
Just as they started Captain Broom extinguished the lantern and they
took up the trail in total darkness. Every precaution would now be
necessary for they would soon be in a region where the very name of
Broom was execrated with bitter hatred, and every bush would grow a
poniard if his whereabouts were known.

It was evident that the skipper was as good a guide on land as he was a
pilot at sea, for he led his little party at a steady gait by a winding
cow-path through the thick undergrowth