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168, and they saw him pick up something. "A crust of fresh bread! Somebody has been down here. I'll wager it was Menden's party."

He continued to mutter to himself, but they caught no more of his words.

"Too bad I didn't eat that crust up," murmured Don. "But I've got some canker sores in my mouth and it was rather dry."

Joseph Farvel halted his party and peered around anxiously. But our friends kept out of sight and he discovered nothing of them. In a minute more he went on; and that was the last they saw or heard of him for the time being.

"He won't discover anything in that direction—at least, not if he covers the ground we covered," grinned Leander. "We were wide-awake and I don't believe anything escaped us."

They now turned off into another branch of the great cave—a long, narrow opening twenty to thirty feet in height. Here the rocky formation was soft and crumbling, and they had to pick their way with care.

"A slight shock would send down tons and tons of that stuff," said Robert Menden, as he pointed to the loose masses hanging as by threads over their heads. "Ugh! it gives a fellow the shivers to look at it."

Remora did not wish to enter. "No, no, come back!" he cried. "Him no safe!" But they lit