angrily to himself.

Stubbs turned upon him suddenly.

"What's the matter with you?" he demanded. "Don't you know it's cold
here? I want to sit by the fire awhile. Keep still."

The dwarf made no reply, but became silent. It was plain enough that he
stood very much in awe of Stubbs.

After a five-minute walk through the dark woods, the big Cossack wheeled
sharply to the left, and walking swiftly for perhaps fifty yards drew up
before what appeared to be a solid rock.

Looking closer in the darkness, however, Hal saw a slight opening at the
bottom, the space between the rock and the ground being perhaps three
feet. The rock, apparently, rested upon more solid ground farther back.

"Follow me," said the big man again.

He dropped on his hands and knees and wriggled through the opening.

At this point Stubbs manifested a desire to leave the others in
the lurch.

"Say!" he exclaimed. "You're not going to get me under there. How do you
know what he may have in mind to do to us?"

"Come, Stubbs," said Hal. "Don't be a quitter all the time. Nothing is
going to hurt--"