Part 13 (1/2)

And, as often happens, such reasoning proved to be the wisest thing the searchers could have undertaken, for hardly had half a minute elapsed an Hugh was heard to give vent to a low e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n of gratification.

No one spoke, but they understood that he had found the trail he was looking for. Indeed, he at once started to move along, still bending over, holding his lighted lantern low, so that its not too good illumination would best serve him.

Now they reached a sort of strange little gully, here the silt had washed down more heavily ring the period of erosion than at any other lace. Looking up, the boys could see that it afforded a steep but accessible avenue by means of which an agile person could ascend the otherwise impregnable height towering above their heads.

Hugh halted not, but started up. Owen came close behind him, holding that formidable shotgun so that he could thrust it ahead of his leader would an occasion arise necessitating action.

But Hugh had already warned him not to be rash, and under no condition to dream of firing until he himself had given the order.

It was a queer little procession that crept up that steep trail in the gully formed by Nature during the heavy storms of summer and winter.

The twin lanterns glimmered and flickered as the night wind puffed the tiny blazes; and ahead of all lay the white glow of the electric hand-torch, showing them how they were now almost at the end of their trail.

Yes, the fissure extended straight into the face of the cliff. Hugh was taking them directly to the place where undoubtedly the mysterious unknown had stood on a sort of rocky platform, and indulged in all those queer telegraphic code motions with a light of some sort.

CHAPTER XVI

A FRIENDLY GHOST

Hugh led the way straight into the fissure. As they proceeded they could see the light ahead growing stronger. Low sounds, as of voices, also led them onward; and then, upon turning a bend, they came upon a sight that had them all staring with wonder.

It was indeed a cave, and of considerable dimensions. A wild beast would have delighted in such a den in which to hide from the rigors of winter, but to boys accustomed to the luxuries of home life it would doubtless have few attractions, especially after the novelty of camping-out had worn off in a week's time.

It was a fire that burned which gave the light at a pile of dry wood, mostly broken branches of dead trees, showed that the occupant of the cave had laid in a supply against a rainy day. There, sitting with his back against the wall, was their missing comrade K.K. His face looked unusually white, and bore an expression of acute pain, which, however, he manfully tried from time to time to dismiss by a ghastly grin, altogether a.s.sumed, since he certainly was in no mood for laughing.

They could see that his left leg was bandaged in some manner, as though he might have broken the bones, and someone had tried to bind up the limb. Even with that superficial glance Hugh marked the fact that this had been done in a fas.h.i.+on indicating considerable previous experience along such lines.

And then they turned their attention upon the other party, the mysterious one who doubtless had found poor K.K. helpless on the ground and borne him to this cavern in the quarry. He was indeed a wild-looking party, with long, unkempt hair and a sunburnt face in which his glowing eyes were deep-seated. There was that about him to convince Hugh instantly he must be deranged, although just then the man bent over poor K.K.

solicitously, and seemed to be tenderly doing something calculated to ease his pain.

Hugh coughed, meaning to draw attention to the fact of their arrival.

The man immediately stood up and bent a searching look upon the five lads. Perhaps he had been hearing K.K. tell how some of his chums would certainly be coming to search for him, and, therefore, even though he might wish to remain in his hidden retreat undisturbed, he manifested no hostility toward them, simply folded his arms and, stepping back, watched their approach.

Hugh made gestures to indicate that they were peacefully disposed.

In doing so he purposely used the signal code and spelled out the one word, ”friend.” He saw the wildman's thin face take on a sudden gleam of awakened interest, and he nodded his head in the affirmative, as if to rea.s.sure Hugh that they were not unwelcome. From this the boy knew the stranger must at some time have been in the army, and that even while his brain was resting under a cloud he could till send and receive messages such as had been one time his daily avocation.

They reached the side of their unfortunate companion. He held out a hand to welcome Hugh. ”Oh! I'm mighty glad you've come, fellows, I tell you,” he told them, with a tremor in his voice. ”I've had a rotten time of it all around, and suffered terribly. You see, I made a fool of myself, and tripped over a vine, so that I was thrown into a gully, with my left leg under me. Snapped both bones, he says, just above the ankle, and a fine time I've got ahead of me this winter, with no skating, hockey, or anything worth living for. But then it might have been worse, because my neck is worth more to me than my ankle. But now I do hope you can get me home. I never wanted to see home and mother one-half as much as now.”

”Yes, we've come in the big car, K.K.,” Hugh a.s.sured him. ”And we'll fetch you home right away. You ought to be looked after by Doctor Wambold; broken bones are not things to be trifled with, and while this party seems to have done the best he could it can only be a make s.h.i.+ft.”

”Don't you believe it, Hugh,” said the injured boy warmly; ”why, he's a regular jim-dandy about such jobs. I bet you he used to be an army surgeon in his younger days, from hints he's let drop. And then he knows the Signal Corps work right off the handle to boot, even if---well, I won't say what I meant to. He's been so kind and considerate to me; my own father couldn't have been more tender.

I've guessed the secret of the old haunted quarry, Hugh!” which last he almost whispered in the other's ear.

”Yes, I can say the same,” muttered Hugh, ”because, as soon as I saw that he was using the regular army code of signals, I remembered about hearing how a certain family over near Hackensack had an uncle who used to be in the Signal Corps and was also later on an army surgeon, but who had suffered a sunstroke, and, well, was said to be a bit queer.”

”Yes,” whispered K.K., ”this is the same party. His name, I remember, was Dr. Coursens, and there was some talk last summer about his having got loose from the house and being drowned, they believed, in the river, though his body was never found. Just to think of it, he's been hiding here ever since, picking up his living almost like a wild animal. Why, right now his clothes are nearly falling off his back, and if he tries to hang out here much longer he'll be frozen to death.