only himself, as he addressed the two
younger boys with him, his eyes cast up
to that mysterious fissure, outlined
rocky tripod, above his head, of which
the Scoutmaster had remarked that all
behind it was black as a tinker's pot.

Into that ebony pot, forthwith, climbing
by the willing step-ladder of his companions'
bodies, Ruddy, the rashling, presently
thrust his head--that flaming head
with all his chances in it!

His body followed, finding entrance
through the crevice amidships, so to speak,
where it broadened out to some three
feet across from the tapering point of
the lowest corner.

"Oh-h! look at him. Do look at
him!" panted the girls, held up in their
search for pale-faced cave flowers and
strange fungi by the "derring-do" act.

"Gracious! some of you scout-ought
to stop him--re-al-ly ought to stop him,
shrilled Jessie, catching her breath at
the shock of darkness visible in the yawn-
[[140]]

p139 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p140w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p141

v?