Part 45 (1/2)

”No, but we can get them if you wish,” said Walter. ”We are after the ticket counterfeiters,” he added shrewdly. ”We have recovered the stolen auto, and a lot of the stuff is in our possession. Now if you--”

”Yes, I'll give up. I'm too old to run away. They deserted me, and I'll tell all I know. I'm getting tired of it anyhow. Being a criminal doesn't pay. I'll give up. Come on back and I'll let out the girls. I'm sorry I locked them in, but I thought there was a chance to escape. I didn't hurt them.”

”Girls! What girls?” gasped Walter.

”Well, I guess likely they're of your party-from the bungalow,” said the old man, from whom all the spirit of rage and fighting seemed to have gone. ”They're in the secret room of the cave. Come on, Bombee, we'll let them out.”

Wondering what it all meant, Walter and Paul followed the old man back into the cave. He seemed to know his way in the dark, though Walter had brought an extra flashlight from the bungalow, and now switched this on.

A little later the two boys, with the old man and the half-witted helper, entered the main cave where they found Jack running about half wild with excitement. He was shouting, and m.u.f.fled cries-the voices of the girls-came in answer.

”Jack! You here!” cried Walter.

”Yes, and the girls are here too, but I can't locate them, though I can hear them. They're locked in some secret room. We must find it.”

”I'll let them out,” said the old man. ”I locked them in. Hi, Bombee, open the door.”

Once more the powerful helper took up the wooden club, or lever. He inserted it in the opening and the plank door, which could not, at first glance, be told from part of the cave sheathing, swung open. Then, tearful and disheveled from their efforts to escape, out rushed the girls.

”Oh Jack!”

”Oh Paul!”

”Oh Walter!”

Thus they gasped, the two girls seeking refuge in their brothers' arms, while Belle and Bess clung to one another.

”Oh, that horrible man!” gasped Belle.

”Bombee won't hurt you,” said the old man, humbly. ”And I ask your pardon. I had to do what I thought best, but it is all over now. I give up!”

”Let's get out of this terrible place,” begged Cora.

”Come on, then,” returned Jack. ”Why, it's a regular underground printing shop,” he added as he looked around. ”Here's where they made the counterfeit tickets.”

”Yes, this is the place,” confessed the old man. ”You have found our secret.”

Walter and Paul started to go out of the cave the way they had come in.

”There is a shorter way,” said the old man. ”It leads to your bungalow.”

”But that door is shut,” said Cora. ”It shut after us.”

”Bombee can open it,” was his reply. ”He knows the secret as well as I.

Come. It opens easily.”

He led the way back along the pa.s.sage through which Cora and her chums had lately come, first unlocking the door which he had closed after them. When they came to the cement obstruction, the helper pressed on a certain place, and it swung to one side. A little later the entire party was in the bungalow, to the great surprise of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd. The caretakers looked in astonishment at the old man and his a.s.sistant.

”Well, now let's have some explanations,” suggested Walter.

”Did you get the auto?” asked Jack.