?"

"I'm going to take the RED CLOUD in there out of the storm."

"Can you do it? Is the opening big enough?"

"Plenty. It's larger than my shed at home, Jove! but I'm glad I saw
that in time, or there would have been nothing left of the gas-bag!"

With skilful hands Tom turned the rudders and sent the airship down
on a slant toward the earth, aiming for the entrance to the cave,
which loomed up in the storm. When the craft was low enough down so
that the superstructure would not scrape the top of the cave, Tom
sent her ahead on the level. But he need have had no fears, for the
hole was large enough to have admitted a craft twice the size of the
RED CLOUD.

A few minutes later the airship slid inside the great cavern, as
easily as if coming to rest in the yard of Tom's house. The roof of
the cave was high over their heads, and they were safe from the
storm. The cessation from the deafening sound of the pelting
hailstones seemed curious to them at first.

"Well, bless my shoelaces! if this isn't luck!" cried Mr. Damon, as
he opened the door of the cabin, and looked about the cave in which
they now found themselves. It was comparatively light, for the
entrance was very large, though the rear of the cavern was in gloom.

"Yes, indeed, we got to it just in time,'" agreed Tom. "Now let's
see what sort of a place it is. We'll have to explore it."

"There may be a landslide, or the roof may come down on our heads,"
objected Mr. Parker.

"Oh, my dear Parker! please be a little more cheerful," begged Mr.
Damon.

The adventurers followed Tom from the airship, and all but the young
inventor gazed curiously at the interior of the cave. His first
thought was for his airship. He glanced up at the gas-bag, and noted
several bad rents in it.

"I hope we can fix them," Tom thought dubiously.

But the attention of all was suddenly arrested by something that
occurred just then. From the dark recess of the cavern there sounded
a fearful yell or scream. It was echoed back a thousand-fold by the
rocky walls of the cave, Then there dashed past the little group of
gold-seekers a dark figure.

"Look out! It's a bear!" shouted Mr. Damon. "A bear! It's an Eskimo
Indian!" yelled Abe Abercrombie, "an' he's skeered nigh t' death!
Look at him run!"

As they gazed toward the lighted entrance of the cave they saw
leaping and running from it an Indian who quickly scudded out into
the hail storm.

"An Indian," exclaimed Tom. "An Indi