good guard, that's all."

"Well, I never thought it was possible for him to get out of that cabin.
It may be that I dozed. I didn't suppose I did, but----"

"But," said Madge icily, "the point is this: The boys shall not be
disappointed in the hanging bee they were to hold in the morning. It is
up to you, Mike, to find the prisoner. If you don't find him in time,
you shall hang in his place--that's all. I mean it."

Cremation Mike's face turned to the color of chalk, for he realized that
she did, indeed, mean what she said. For a moment he stood there
trembling, and then he seized a lantern which one of the men was
holding, and cried out:

"Come along, whoever will help me. I know that he can't have gone far.
He ain't had time. I know it. Come along."

"Wait," said Handsome coolly; and he turned to Nick.

"Turner," he said, "I begin to think that it is fortunate that you came
here when you did."

"I am sure of it," said Nick in reply.

"You know that cave from end to end, don't you?"

"I think I do."

"Then, you shall act as guide."

"All right. I'm ready."

But this short conversation had called the attention of Madge to the
supposed old man, whom she had for the moment forgotten, and now she
turned savagely upon him.

"I believe that you are at the bottom of this," she said, her eyes
blazing.

Before Nick could make any reply, Handsome broke in.

"That is nonsense, Madge," he said. "I know it. As soon as there was an
alarm--as soon as Mike yelled out that the prisoner had escaped, I
legged it for the cabin, and I found Turner just waking up from his
sleep. He had no hand in it. He couldn't."

"It's lucky for you," said Madge, still eying Nick sharply.

"Will you guide us through the cave, Turner?" demanded Handsome.

"Sure."

"Then, come on."

"Hold on a minute," said Nick. "Don't you think it would be a good idea
to send some of the men to guard the other entrances? If the prisoner
hasn't had time to get through the cave yet, and if he should happen to
find one of the ways out on the other side, he'd run right into the
arms of whoever was on the watch."

"Good!" said Handsome. "We know of two outside entrances. How many do
you know about?"

"Four," replied Nick. "Four, not counting the hole under the Dog's Nose.
That may be an entrance; but one man can guard that."

"Where are those entrances?"

Glibly Nick described how they might be found, using the exact language
that had been used