how much he knows."

"Oh, we have slept all right," he finally said, in reply to the
man's question. "A mess of healthy boys will sleep under the noise
of battle!"

"I ask these questions," Antoine said directly, "because I have
seen strange foot-prints in the snow at different times, and it
seems to me that some person or persons are skulking through the
woods and, for some reason known only to themselves, keeping out of
sight of honest men."

"He knows all about that affair at the cabin," Will concluded.
"Now," he went on, "I wonder why he's so very much interested in
these strangers, whoever they are?"

"Oh, come on!" Tommy exclaimed. "Don't stand here all day! We've
got to get back to the cabin before it gets too dark to make our
way through the woods."

The two boys took a couple of steps forward at a venture, without
knowing whether Antoine would oppose their leaving the cavern.

"Well," he said, as he stepped to one side, "if you boys see any
strangers loitering about, I wish you'd let me know."

The two lads amazed departed without making any promise, but they
did not at once turn in the direction of the cabin. Instead, they
plunged through the snow in a southerly direction, after seeing
that Antoine had gone the other way.

"Where are you headed for now?" asked Tommy.

"Just wandering about on general principles," replied Will, at the
same time turning into one of the eaves belonging to the system of
underground passages. "Thought I'd look in here first!"

The lads entered the cavern as noiselessly as possible and looked
guardedly about. A great heap of furs lay on the floor, and two
figures rested upon them apparently lost in slumber.

Tommy pointed to the modern shoes on the feet of one of the
sleepers. Then he silently called attention to the bloody bandage
wrapped about the man's head. He looked at Will inquiringly.

"Do you suppose," he whispered, "that these, fellows are here after
the Little Brass God, too?"

The men seemed willing to answer the question for themselves, for
they sprang to their feet and glared at the intruders angrily.

One of the men was dressed as a trapper, although he did not look
the part. He was tall and angular, with sharp features and keen
black eyes.

His companion was shorter, but equally slender. His eye orbits
were small and oval in shape, his face was a dusky brown, and there
was, somehow, about the man an atmosphere of the Orient.

While the