“This is cave-investigating with a vengeance,” said Tom, with something like a shiver.

“Never mind, Tom, we won’t die of thirst anyway.”

“Do you think this is a laughing matter, Sam?”

“No, I don’t.  I’d give a good deal to be out of this hole and out of the cave also.”

“I’ve got an idea.  Let me climb on your shoulders and see if I can reach the top that way.”

Sam was willing, and soon Tom was balancing himself as best he could.  He felt around with care, Sam moving from point to point as directed.

“Here is a sharp rock; I think I can pull myself up on that,” said Tom.  He tried with all of his strength and went up off Sam’s shoulders.  Then the youngest Rover heard him crawling around the wet flooring carefully.

When Tom felt fairly safe he brought out his waterproof match safe and lit a match.  Then one of the torches was picked up and he lit that, but kept it partly sheltered, fearing another attack from the bats.

By the aid of the torch, Sam was able to reach a sharp rock quite low down in the well hole, and when Tom gave him a hand he came up with ease.  Both saw that the passage ended at the hole and hurried back to the main chamber of the cave.

“That’s the time that right was not right,” said Sam, wringing the water from his trousers, while Tom did the same.  “Let us try the left after this.”

“I trust we don’t get left by it,” added Sam.

The passageway was small and winding, but fairly level.  There were several sharp rocks to pass and then Tom gave a cry.

“I see a light ahead!”

“It must be an opening, Tam.”

“Exactly what I think.”

Both hurried forward.  As they did this, the opening appeared to grow larger and they saw a number of bushes ahead of them.  They pushed these aside and saw beyond a clear stretch of the bay and to the northward the house they had built.  The opening was twenty or thirty feet above the beach and hidden in the rocks and bushes.

“This is a short cut to the beach from the flagstaff,” said Sam.  “I wish we had put up the flag.  Then we could carry the news of the cave to the others.”

“Let us hurry back, Sam.  It won’t take so very long to put up the flag, with the tree still standing.”

When they reached the gully they were careful that no further mishaps should befall them.  Having picked up the flag they hoisted it once more, stars down, and then went back through the cave to the beach.

As they had imagined, the others were greatly interested in the news.  All left the house and visited the place.  The girls did not go any further than the main chamber, but the captain, Dick, and old Jerry made a complete investigation, taking care not to fall into the well-hole or any other unsafe place.

“As the boys say, this cave may come in very handy some time,” said Captain Blossom.  “In case of a very heavy wind storm it would be a good place for shelter.”