Part 36 (1/2)

So with Hal holding a hand on one side, and Ted on the other, Janet went slowly into the cave with her brother and his chum. Hal flashed his light, and by its gleam the Curlytops could see that the cave was large, larger even than it had seemed when they were in it with their grandfather.

”Look on the floor for the rocks,” suggested Hal. ”That's where the tramp-man would put 'em if he brought 'em here.”

But they did not see the blue rocks, nor any others. The floor of the cave seemed to be of stone or hard clay, and there was nothing on it.

They did not go in far enough to see the sacks which Grandpa Martin said someone had used for a bed, nor did the children see the bread and other bits of food which might have meant that someone had had a picnic in the cave.

”I guess the rocks aren't here,” said Hal, in disappointed tones as Janet said she wanted to turn back, for she did not like it in the cave.

”Or else maybe they're away at the far end.”

”I'm not going there!” exclaimed Ted.

”No, I guess we won't go,” agreed Hal. ”We'll go and tell your grandfather and have him come with a big lantern.”

”Hark! What's that?” suddenly called Jan, taking a tighter hold of her brother's hand.

From the back part of the cave came a noise. It was as though a rock had fallen--probably it had--from the roof of the cavern.

”Someone's throwing stones at us!” cried Ted.

”Who? Who? Who?” a voice seemed to ask.

”Oh, dear! We don't know who it was!” cried Janet. ”Come on out of here!

I'm afraid!”

”That was only an owl,” said Hal with a laugh. ”Owls live in dark caves in the daytime and when it's dark they hoot and call 'who!' I've heard 'em lots of times around the Home.”

”There isn't any cave at the Home,” objected Ted, who was as frightened as Janet was.

”No, but there were owls in the trees. I heard 'em lots of times. But we'll go out. I guess maybe that was a loose stone that fell down and made the first noise. But we don't want any to fall on our heads. Come on!” called Hal.

Together he and Ted led Janet back to the mouth of the cave, where they could see the suns.h.i.+ne. And even Hal, who was not so frightened as the Curlytops had been, was glad to get out.

”It's too bad we couldn't find the blue gold-stones,” he said. ”But maybe the tramps didn't hide them there, anyhow. We'll look around some more.”

”Let's eat,” suggested Ted. ”I'm hungry, and I've got a lot of cookies in my pockets.”

So they sat down on a stone in a shady place not far from the cave and ate the things Nora had given Ted. They then got a drink from a bubbling spring not far away, and pretended they were on a picnic.

Ted's muddy stocking had dried by this time, and he and Jan, using sticks, sc.r.a.ped most of the dirt off.

”Now we'd better be going home,” Jan suggested after a bit. ”There isn't any fun here.”

”Yes, we might as well go,” agreed Hal. ”And I'll tell you what let's do!”

”What?” demanded Ted.

”Let's look in the place where Trouble found those blue stones and see if we can find any more.”

”Oh, yes, let's!” cried Janet. She was happy again, now that she was out in the bright suns.h.i.+ne.