Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/199

 had reached the foundations of the gloomy heights above, and moving more by instinct than by any of his senses Abner twisted and turned among the ever growing boulders until he was brought up by a towering ledge. Skirting along the base of this he suddenly halted and breathed a deep sigh of relief.

“I’ve found what I expected, a small cave,” he whispered. “Now if there ain’t any of Stanley’s bears inside we’ll take a little rest. Both of ye stand in the opening, ’cause I’ve got to strike a light, if only for a second. And it won’t do to let Nick see a glimmer.”

Crowding close behind him to mask the twinkling point of flame the boys waited anxiously. Stanley firmly expected to hear a roar and be run down by an infuriated bear. Since his experience with the cubs he had associated all holes in rocks with gleaming eyes and infuriated black forms.

However, he was now destined to be gratefully disappointed, for immediately after the tiny scratching sound the match was extinguished and Abner invited, “Come in. He couldn’t git us in here in a million years. The passage turns almost at right angles and there’s just enough room for comfort.”

“Then we’ve beaten him,” joyously