"Why didn"t you get the Little Bra.s.s G.o.d while the getting was good?" demanded Sandy.
"The guns those fellows carried didn"t look good to me!" was the reply.
"It"s a mystery to me how they ever got out of this cavern," Will observed.
"Perhaps they are still here, waiting to get a shot at us!"
suggested Thede. "This would be a bad place for an attack."
As the boys advanced they heard a whisper of voices farther in, and what seemed to be the rattle of footsteps over the uneven floor.
Then from some, apparently, distant comer of the cavern came a cry in an unknown tongue. The next instant the place was illuminated by two great torches of resinous wood.
They flamed high in the hands of the men who had been discovered in the cavern during the first visit.
"Look!" cried Will, pointing. "Look!"
The eyes of the boys followed the pointing finger dimly outlined in the light of the torches, and saw the Little Bra.s.s G.o.d swinging to and fro in an uplifted hand!
"There!" exclaimed Tommy. "I told you we"d got the Little Bra.s.s G.o.d!"
"But you haven"t got it yet!" taunted Sandy.
"We"ll have it in a minute!" replied the boy confidently.
The ugly little image remained in sight for perhaps half a minute, and then the cavern became dark as pitch again.
The boys heard a quick rush of footsteps, apparently pa.s.sing further into the cavern, and then all was silent.
"That isn"t the man who had the Little Bra.s.s G.o.d the other time I saw it!" Thede declared. "I guess these fellows must have got it away from Antoine, or whoever it was who had it at that time."
"I wish we had a searchlight," suggested Sandy.
"I"ve got a little one for a cent," Tommy answered. "I never leave the camp without one. No knowing when one may be needed,"
"Strike a light then!" whispered Sandy.
"That would be a fine way to get a bullet into my coco!" Tommy whispered back. "I"ll just wait a while and see what"s doing."
There was nothing doing--nothing whatever! The boys, after waiting some ten minutes, advanced into the cavern which was now perfectly still.
Directly Tommy turned on his electric. The little flame revealed no presence there save that of the boys themselves. They searched every nook and corner of the place, believing it impossible that the two men could have escaped. At last, however, they were forced to the conclusion that once more they had lost track of the object of their search.
"But where did they go?" demanded Tommy.
"I guess that"s what no fellow can find out," replied Will.
The boys continued their search in the hope of finding the pa.s.sage by which the two men had escaped. At last they came to a small opening in the floor of the cavern which apparently led to a cavity farther down.
"They didn"t wait for the elevator!" laughed Tommy. "Shall we go down after them?" asked Sandy.
"I think we"d better get back to the cabin." Will argued. "It must be after ten o"clock now, and George may be in trouble for all we know."
"Three times and out!" exclaimed Sandy. "The next time we catch sight of the Little Bra.s.s G.o.d, we"ll sure get out fingers on it!"
"I"d be happy just now if I could get my fingers on something to eat!" Thede declared. "I"m about starved!"
"We"ve got a few sandwiches, if they"ll do any good," suggested Will.
"If they"ll do any good!" repeated Sandy. "You bring "em out here and we"ll see whether they will or not."
"Thede ran to the door of the cavern and looked out, calling softly to the Indian as he did so. Oje was nowhere to be seen!
"I wonder where that Indian went?" the boy asked.
"He probably got busy after some one!" Will replied.
The boys devoured the sandwiches which remained from the supply provided by Will and then started back to the cabin.
The moon was now high up in the heavens, and the boys could trace foot tracks in the snow quite distinctly. For a time they saw the prints of Oje"s moccasins. They seemed to be following another track which was obliterated by his pa.s.sage.
"Perhaps he"s chasing the two fellows who had the Little Bra.s.s G.o.d!" suggested Sandy. "If he is, I hope he gets "em."
After a time the tracks swung away to the left and the boys saw them no more. When they came in view of the cabin a bright light was reflected through the broken window pane, but there seemed to be no evidences of motion on the inside.
"I presume George has gone to sleep," Will said. "I should think he"d be tired of waiting. It must be somewhere about one o"clock!"
When the boys came up to the cottage they saw a figure detach itself from the shadows which lay against the west wall and dash precipitously into the thicket. Will hastened to throw the door open.
The boy started back in alarm, as he noted the condition of the interior. The bunks lay broken on the floor, and it was plain that the whole apartment had been most thoroughly pillaged.
CHAPTER XXI
TWO RIFLE SHOTS
As the boys stepped into the room George arose from a heap of blankets near a broken bunk and stood regarding them with a quizzical smile on his face. The boys at once cl.u.s.tered around him with dozens of questions on their lips.
"What"s been doing here?" demanded Tommy.
"You missed the biggest sensation of the excursion!" exclaimed George.
"Where are the fellows who busted up the furniture?" asked Sandy.
"You ought to know," replied George. "They ran out just before you entered. It"s a wonder you didn"t meet them."
"Who are they?" asked Will.