Simultaneously the boys all sprang from the table, taking care to upset the board upon which they had been eating.  An angry exclamation came from Antoine’s lips as the carefully prepared tea was spilled to the floor.  In a moment, however, his face broke into a smile.

“Too bad!” he said, “but accidents will happen.  I’ll make you some more!  I’ll have it ready in a moment.”

“We really would like some tea, notwithstanding our awkwardness,” laughed Will, listening as he spoke for some further sound from his chum.

“Drugged, drugged, drugged.”

The boys heard the whisper floating through the room.  Then they heard a gasp as of some one coming out of a sound sleep, and saw Antoine springing toward a weapon lying on the floor.

CHAPTER XII

A SURPRISE AT THE CABIN

Will got to the weapon first.

With an exclamation of rage and anger, Antoine drew his hunting knife from its sheath and lifted it threateningly.

“Keep back!” he said.  “Keep back, every one of you!”

“Throw down the knife, then!” Tommy demanded.

Instead of throwing down the knife, Antoine seemed preparing for a spring.  It was evident that he had not yet abandoned the hope of gaining his revolver.  The weapon which Will had seized left his hand with a swift whirl, and the next moment the knife crashed from Antoine’s hand to the floor.  The fellow’s wrist had been broken.

He fell back with a groan, but remained inactive only a second.

“I’ll come back!” he shouted, and disappeared through the entrance.

Tommy followed him out after having secured Will’s automatic, but he was nowhere in sight on the slope.  The tracks in the deep snow showed that he had turned in the direction of the cavern which the boys had known to their cost that morning.

“He’s gone after our revolvers!” shouted Tommy.

“I’m afraid that’s right,” Sandy answered, sticking his head cautiously out of the opening.  “He’s the man who hid them, probably!”

“He’ll be back directly,” Will prophesied, “so one of you would better remain on guard at the door.  If he catches us all inside, we’ll be in the same fix we were when he found us!”

“I’d rather fight bears than a snake like that!” declared Sandy.

A faint voice was now heard calling from some unseen recess.

“Tommy, Sandy, Will!” George’s voice called.

Leaving Tommy at the door, the three boys passed around the chamber pounding on the walls with little rocks and listening eagerly for further words.  At last they came to where a bear skin hung against a crevice.  They drew it abide and saw George looking up at them.

“Vot iss?” asked Sandy with a grin.

“So you heard me in time!”

The boy’s speech was low and indistinct.

“If we hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here,” answered Sandy.