Evening journal., 1906-12-29

path. As It was they thought 1t eAfsr 60
walk
But at last. following the directions that
had been given them, they came 70 the
road which their adviser had evidently
meant. At the very beginning OF this road
they saw the Holden Farm. Here Of
course was the very place to discover the
path to the cave. These people should
know " anybody did.
To their great delight. their hopes proved
to be justified. Grandfather Holden. who
was out In the garden. said that he knew
all about the cave. and readily consented
TO tell them how to reach Il. It was q
tiresome and complicated Journey but
John and Arthur paused not. Delighted
beyond measure at their SUCCESS, they
climbed eagerly up the trail and pushed
through underbrush. carefully compar5na
every turning with the directions that had
been given them.
They were good woodsrnen and perhaps
n they had not been so eager to reach
their destination they might have noticed
that many OF the low growing branches on
the way had been broken. that here And
there the underbrush showed signs OF ha,p-
ing been tramped down. But they noticed
none OF these things. The path was esrf-
hciently winding and secluded to satisfy
any desire for a mysterious retreat ana
they were quite sure that they had found
the right place.
I
They had come every inch OF the way BY
/ following peculiar trees or Groups OF treea
There was no path even of the fafntest,
/ kind. Suddenly turning OF from ono eros1n
OF mammoth horse chestnuts and dsreottng
their way toward a single tall pine, as sfsey
mad been told, they came upon the group
/ OF elms so constructed as to shield tho cave
from the eyes OF those who might chance
to stumble upon the spot.
! Yes, surely these we're the eiIns Of WITH
1 Aunt Hetta had spoken, and ehere. AZ ora
bent down and looked under the bTanrhe-.
was surely the cave itself. Eslrelxal Tnoy
had found Il at last.
In a second, however, their xlee 49,
changed to CONSERVATION. for out Of a.
opening they had not before notfora =
finger OF smoke curled. Evidently ia cnvo
was inhabited by some one else.
/ Could It be by robbers OF desperate 49,.
acters Of any sort? For a n1omenf ~.
thought flashed into both boys minds tsst
they might be IN a pretty dangerous ro~i-
tioa, but they had been accustomed - II,
alone all over the mountains sinos earis,
childhood and had never met Win INV
harm. so they stood their sround. =
Then a most remarkable thing barrcarss
Out OF the small. peculiar opening ~ the
cave there came on hands ana hnea.-
which was the only way one could co-,e
out. so narrow was the openinR-uo 1e-Sr =
person than Lucy.
] ne lno1o laNt oAAC cuOll- WHY. IlEu~l
Briefly" they cried.
why, John and Arthur" cried r,,.v
Then Mary and John Holden carne ont
and there were introductions and e,nla-
nations and the boys were asked TO share
the camp luncheon, which was beins
cooled
And Lucy is the best climber ana IA.
best camp cook I ever saw" declared
Mary Holden.
And the best FUN" said John Holden.
John and Arthur made no comment A
the time. but that night at home John
% slid somewhat reproachfully TO Aunt
i Hetta;--
h You never told US Lucy knew where tns
> cave was"
= you never asked me anything about
a Lucy" Aunt Hetta replied.
g. But John and Arthur rose to the ocoa,
y sion. During the rest Of the summon
\ While the cave on the mountain was Their
principal resort, they never forgot again
J, that Lucy had at least an equal right 4
e lall that was going forward. More thar
10 that. when a sign bearing the name OF the
y lcave was made with black paint on tbs
a inner Wall IL bore these words;-"The Lusl
Gave"