"Here's where our turn comes at last," said Frank.
Jack laid a hand on his arm.
"Better than that, Frank," he said. "How many do you make out?"
"Three is my guess."
"The two men in the airplane and the man in charge of the cave," said
Jack. "Dollars to doughnuts, the cave is undefended right this minute.
What do you say to capturing it and laying for them there?"
All four were grouped together, and consequently all heard Jack's
proposal. Bob and Tom Bodine agreed eagerly.
"Lead the way, then, Tom," said Jack, "because you know the route. And
be quick."
Swiftly, yet withal cautiously, because the cave might be defended,
they approached the big rock. As they sidled around it, a gleam of
light from the mouth of the cave at the rear of the rock fell athwart
their path. Involuntarily they drew back.
Then Jack brushed Tom Bodine aside and took the lead. His repeater
thrust before him, crouching, he entered the mouth of the cave. A
moment later his whisper came back:
"Coast's clear."
But the others already were at his heels.
A hasty glance around revealed the first of the two chambers, which
Tom had said the cave possessed, was luxuriously furnished and lighted
by a powerful electric bulb enclosed in a huge frosted globe suspended
from the middle of the roof.
Pages:
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122