"The little idiots!" exclaimed Will.

"That isn't strong enough!" George corrected.

"There's no knowing how long they've been gone," Will suggested. "The
chances are that they went away as soon as we went to sleep."

"In that case, they're in trouble!" George declared.

"In what kind of trouble?"

"The good Lord only knows!" replied George. "Tommy and Sandy can get
into more different kinds of trouble in less time than any other boys
on the face of the earth. They're the original lookers for trouble!"

"Do you suppose they've got lost in the mine?" asked Will.

"It may be worse than that!"' cried George. "They may have butted
into some of the people the caretaker indirectly referred to last
night."

"He did speak of strange noises and mysterious lights, didn't he?"

"He certainly did, and I've got a hunch that Sandy and Tommy have
butted into some hostile interests.

"It does seem as if they would be back by this time unless they were
in trouble!"

The boys prepared an elaborate breakfast in the hope that Tommy and