CHAPTER XI

THE HALF-BREED

But the way out was not to lie through undiscovered passages! It
was set by fate that it was to be over the dead body of the
half-breed!

While the boys discussed the possibility of finding an unguarded
exit from the series of caverns, another shot sounded, and then
they heard the rattle and crash of rocks falling upon an equally
hard surface.

"There's something doing, now, sure!" Tommy exclaimed.

"Do you know of any other trappers in this section?" asked Will,
turning to Thede. "It seems to me that that shot came from
outside, and I don't believe Pierre would be throwing down his own
barricade."

"I haven't seen anyone else here," replied the boy, "except the one
we saw in front of the fire last night."

"And that might have been Pierre, for all we know!" Tommy declared.

"You don't know whether it was Pierre or some one else," Sandy