Hugh was using his eyes to good advantage, and at his advice the others
did the same. It was a good thing the car was old, and that it
mattered nothing how those stiff branches scraped against the sides
during their forward progress. K.K. knew how to manage, all right,
and, although the trail was quite rough in places where the heavy
rains had washed the earth away, and left huge stones projecting,
he was able to navigate around these obstacles successfully.

Twice they came to low places where water ran, and there was some
danger of the heavy car becoming mired. At such times several of the
boys would jump out, and after investigating the conditions perhaps
throw a mass of stones and pieces of wood in, to make what Hugh
called a sort of a "corduroy road" across the swampy section of ground.

It was all very interesting in the bargain, and, for the time being,
the boys even forgot the fact that they were exceedingly tired.

Then they seemed to be gradually ascending a grade, where the road
turned out to be somewhat better.

"I imagine we're getting close to the quarry now, fellows," Hugh
informed them; "if what I was told is true. It will lie over here
on the right, and only for the dense growth of trees with their
foliage still hanging on, we might see the cliff forming the background
of the quarry right now."

Julius and Horatio looked around them with increasing interest, and
perhaps a slight flutter of unusual vigor in the region of their hearts.
It was about as gloomy a scene as any of them had ever gazed upon.
Years had elapsed since work in the stone quarry had been abandoned,