THREE hours now had elapsed since Captain Hager, Judy and Kathleen had ascertained that Bart Ranieau was somewhere deep in the cave, beyond the siphon.

Unable to penetrate farther, the three had made the arduous climb back to the cavern entrance where Miss Meadows anxiously awaited them.

Their report had been a discouraging one. Without question, Bart was somewhere in Calico Cave, but whether or not alive, no one could say.

“The lad may have reached an air pocket, or a chamber,” Captain Hager said. “That’s what he gambled on.”

“He’s been missing a day and a half now,” Miss Meadows reminded the seaman. “While you were down in the cave, I checked on that point. Surely, if he’s ever coming back, he’d have made it by now.”

“Aye,” the captain soberly agreed.

“Can’t something be done?” Miss Meadows urged.

“Not a man in these parts would risk that siphon, ma’am.” “I realize that,” Miss Meadows answered. “But is there no other way to reach him, if he’s still alive? Couldn’t the rangers blast the rock perhaps?”

“It would be impractical and dangerous, Ma’am.”

“But the cave must have an exit somewhere close—if only it could be traced down! If one could approach the siphon from the other direction—”

“Aye, Ma’am,” Captain Hager replied, “I’ve been pondering on it—pondering hard.”

“Then you do have an idea!” Judy cried. “Does it have anything to do with Calico Cottage?”

“I’ve been meditatin’ along that line,” the old man admitted.

“Is there any chance the cave connects in some way with the foundation of the cottage?” Judy demanded excitedly. “Remember, all those strange sounds which seemed to come from the basement! They might have been cave noises! And we noticed a gust of cool air coming through a crack in the mortar.”

“Aye,” the captain nodded. “Bart and I discussed it many a time. Those strange sounds that have scared the living daylights out of cottage tenants come from the cave right enough.”

“Then there must be a passageway close to the foundation wall!” Judy cried.

“I tried to convince Krumm he should build on a new foundation, but he wouldn’t take advice.”

“If that old foundation could be torn down, maybe an opening down into the cave could be found!” Judy went on. “What do you think, Captain Hager?”

“It’s our only chance to ever learn what became of Bart.”

“Then why are we waiting?” Miss Meadows demanded. “We must put men to work at once!”

“Krumm will have to give his permission,” Captain Hager said, deeply troubled. “It will mean wrecking the foundation of the cottage.”

“But a young man’s life is at stake!”

“Aye,” the captain agreed, “Krumm should consent, if there’s a mite o’ humanity in him. We’ll go now and put it up to him.”

Word had spread through the village of Bart Ranieau’s plight and everyone, it seemed, was discussing the young man’s fate. Even before the little party arrived at Mr. Krumm’s real estate office, groups of curious began to congregate at the cave entranceway.

Forest rangers and state highwaymen roped off the private road leading to the cavern, and set up guards to prevent persons from trying to explore. Miss Ward, bringing her girls to Calico Cottage, learned belatedly of the disaster and what was being done to try to find Bart.

Meanwhile, Captain Hager was using all his powers of persuasion upon Mr. Krumm. The real estate man, reluctant to have his property damaged, argued that it would be a useless expenditure to tear down the old foundation wall. “Like as not we wouldn’t find the cave exit,” he protested. “Even if we did, there’s not much chance of finding that foolhardy young man alive and you know it! He went the way his father did before him, drowned in the siphon!”

“We don’t know it,” Captain Hager retorted. “There’s air somewhere close by to that siphon.”

“How do you know?”

“Because time and again Bart found tadpoles.”

“What have they got to do with it?” Mr. Krumm demanded.

“Tadpoles are a sure sign of open air being near. They’re creatures that never venture far into underground waters.”

“So?”

“I figure there must be a brook somewhere close where the underground river empties.”

“There’s no brook around the cottage, and no water under it either.”

“I’m not concerned where the river empties,” Captain Hager said. “I do think the cottage wall connects in some way with a passage down into the cave. Where it would lead, if we get into it, no man knows.”

“You want me to tear down the foundation on a wild chance like that?”

“You’ve got to do it,” Captain Hager said grimly. He moved in close. “Either you do it like a gentleman and get credit for being a hero, or I’ll have the law on you! You can’t abandon that boy to save a dollar!”

Mr. Krumm’s eyes snapped angrily. Judy and Kathleen were certain he would order them all out of the real estate office.

But suddenly, his opposition dissolved.

“Okay, tear down the foundation!” he consented. “Get on with it!”

Once Mr. Krumm had waived his objection, men from the village, directed by forest rangers, immediately went to work.

Judy, Kathleen and the other Scouts milled about the cottage, watching as a small section of the foundation was torn apart. As the throng increased, only Miss Meadows, Miss Ward and the Scouts were permitted in the building.

Dust from the bricks and mortar kept the girls out of the cellar much of the time. But as the day wore on, a shout from below, brought them scrambling down the stairway.

By this time, one section of wall had been torn away, though the main supports of the cottage remained. The musty odor which had annoyed occupants of Calico Cottage now was very strong and definitely came from the jagged opening. A group of workmen clustered about the hole, blocking Judy’s view.

“Have you found the cave opening?” she cried. “Have you?” “Aye,” Captain Hager informed her jovially. “But where the passage leads, we don’t know.”

“What causes the odor?” Kathleen asked, sniffing.

“Imprisoned air. It’s gradually clearing out. Like as not it comes from decaying vegetation—”

“Listen!” cried Judy tensely.

“The boy with the flute!” exclaimed Kathleen in awe.

Those in the room had frozen to attention. From the great gaping hole there issued forth a musical note, for all the world like the music of a flute.

Then there came a series of taps as if someone might be thumping a stick on hard rock.

“That’s a man-made sound!” cried Captain Hager. “Bart’s down there! He’s trying to signal us!”

“We’ll get him out!” shouted a forest ranger. “Any volunteers to go down into the hole?”

Arthur Wentz stepped forward. Rope was tied about his waist, and carefully he was lowered until his feet touched solid flooring.

For awhile those above could see the descending light, then it vanished. They paid out more and more rope until the coil was nearly exhausted.

Finally, a signal came—two short tugs. Gently, the men began to pull on the rope.

“Wentz is coming up!” one of the workmen shouted. “It’s hard pulling!”

“Then he must have found Bart!” Judy cried, hugging Kathleen in her excitement. Minutes passed as the men kept at the rope. Then from the hole staggered Wentz and the young man he supported.

Bart was barefoot and his bare back had been covered by the ranger’s shirt. His lips were blue with cold, but he grinned with the spirit of a conqueror.

“Captain Hager!” he mumbled, embracing the old man. “I did it!”

“You sure did, son,” the captain answered, tears streaming down his grimy cheeks. “You almost did for yourself too.”

“I thought you’d get me out,” Bart said. “I never gave up, never for a minute.”

“You can thank these Scouts,” Captain Hager said, smiling at Judy and Kathleen. “They pestered me to go down into the cave with ’em. If they hadn’t, we’d never have learned that you went through the siphon.”

“It was a wonderful but terrifying experience,” Bart mumbled. “My father—”

“That can wait,” Captain Hager said gruffly. “You can tell us all about it later. Get yourself to a warm bed now, before you die of pneumonia. Get along with ye!”

Nearly exhausted, and shaking with cold, Bart was lifted bodily and carried to a waiting ambulance.