CHAPTER 12 EXPLORING THE CAVE

The following day, Dan and Brad discussed the discovery of the underground stream and cave with both Mr. Hatfield and Mr. Holloway.

Acting on a theory that the swift river current must connect with Lake James at a slightly lower level, the two men went on a tour of inspection. They found the point upstream where the underground river flowed into the larger stream, but not where it later emptied into the lake.

Dan pleaded for a chance to explore the cave, pointing out that the lost paddles might be caught somewhere deep in the cavern.

“We need those paddles too,” he added persuasively.

“You wouldn’t be interested in exploring for its own sake?” the cubmaster joked.

“Sure,” Dan grinned. “It would be top adventure! Our secret is too good to keep from the other Cubs.”

Mr. Hatfield and Mr. Holloway were of the same opinion. So when the Cubs had their next gathering, they were told of the discovery.

Immediately there was a clamor to explore the cavern.

“Right now!” Midge insisted. “Lead us to it!”

The other Cubs echoed his demand. Mr. Hatfield and Mr. Holloway had, of course, anticipated the request and were prepared for it.

The night before they had discussed the matter and had decided to undertake the exploration. A long light rope had been obtained, as well as an ample supply of powerful flashlights and extra batteries.

“Okay,” Mr. Hatfield consented to the request. “We’ll explore the cave, if it can be done safely. Let’s go.”

“How about leaving someone to watch our camp,” Brad reminded the group. “It seems that something disappears every time we turn our backs.”

The Cubs stood watching Mr. Hatfield rather anxiously. No one wanted to be assigned to remain behind.

“Oh, except for a few tools, we have nothing here today of great value,” Mr. Hatfield said. “We’ll take a chance.”

The Cubs proceeded to the site of the cave, following Mr. Hatfield, Brad and Dan along the shore. Tangles of brush and willows frequently caused the group to detour away from the river. So when finally they located the mouth of the cavern again, it was much later than the Cub leader had expected.

“There’s no time to waste,” he told the Cubs. “We can’t afford to be caught here after dark. Now everyone must obey orders. I know you’re all eager to see the inside of the cave, but it may be unsafe. Therefore, I’ll go in ahead.”

“Not alone!” Brad protested quickly.

“Mr. Holloway will remain at the entranceway,” Mr. Hatfield resumed. “I’ll take two Cubs with me.”

“Me!” interposed Mack.

“No, let me go!” cried Chips.

“The stream is swift and it may be deep,” Mr. Hatfield went on, paying no attention to the demands. “We’ll have to inch our way very cautiously. Naturally, the only Cubs I can take must be good swimmers.”

“Brad and Dan,” Red said instantly. “They’re the best.”

Mr. Hatfield was well pleased that the Cubs themselves had elected the two boys, for he had considered them the most dependable. Dan in particular, swam like a fish, and could be depended upon if an aquatic emergency arose.

“Arm yourselves with long, stout sticks,” he instructed. “They’ll be useful in feeling our way. No telling either, what we may run into.”

The Cubs obtained the sticks from the beach, and they presented themselves again at the yawning mouth of the cavern.

A narrow stream of fast-moving water flowed silently into the dark tunnel of rock. Gazing into its mysterious depths, the other Cubs were not too reluctant to have Dan and Brad do the initial exploring.

Mr. Hatfield tied a long length of rope about his waist, and gave shorter ones to Brad and Dan, who were to follow him.

“No telling how far this cave goes,” he commented. “If our rope doesn’t hold out, we may have to come back and try it again some other day.”

The Cub leader gave careful instructions. Brad and Dan were to follow him into the cave. Two jerks of a rope in quick succession would signal the waiting Cubs that they were to pull in.

“We’ll not give the signal unless we’re in trouble,” Mr. Hatfield said.

Mr. Holloway manned the rope attached to the Cub leader’s waist. Chips and Midge grabbed Dan’s rope, while the other Cubs took the one Brad had tied about his middle.

“Be careful not to do any pulling unless you catch a signal or are sure we’re in trouble,” Mr. Hatfield admonished. “I’m not looking for any mishaps, but it’s always wise to be prepared.”

“Let’s go!” urged Brad, eager to be at the job.

A silence fell upon the group as the three stood for a moment gazing into the dark jaws of the cave. The shadow of a tree shrouded the entranceway, and the moving branches made an eerie pattern upon the limestone.

“All set?” Mr. Hatfield asked.

Brad and Dan nodded. Both suddenly seemed to have lost their voices.

“Walk carefully and watch your footing,” Mr. Hatfield instructed. “Don’t let your rope get tangled.”

He stepped from the ledge into the flowing stream. The water came well above his knees, and somewhat higher on Brad and Dan.

Finding the floor of the cavern smooth, the Cub leader moved along, slowly at first and then a little faster. Brad followed a few paces behind with Dan bringing up the rear.

Damp, dripping walls veered to a high rough roof only a few inches above their heads. Now and then Mr. Hatfield had to stoop to proceed. At one point he thought he could not go on. However, after he had squeezed through the “low bridge,” the passageway became higher.

Pausing to rest a moment, the three gazed back. The opening of the cave appeared as a circle of light.

“Everything’s okay!” Mr. Hatfield shouted to reassure Mr. Holloway and the Cubs who waited anxiously at the cave’s mouth. “We can’t see the end yet.”

His voice echoed weirdly in the cavernous depths.

Losing his balance, Dan grasped a jagged projection of rock for support. The walls at this point were slimy and covered with clusters of lichens. Farther on, the explorers passed an oozing icicle-like stalagmite which dangled from the roof.

“Need any ornaments for your Christmas tree?” Dan joked.

Brad’s line had become twisted. Without answering Dan, he halted to try to straighten it.

Unaware that the two boys had stopped, Mr. Hatfield moved on some distance ahead. Suddenly they heard him shout:

“I think we’re coming to the end of the tunnel! Or at least to a larger chamber. I’m out of the water.”

Brad hastily adjusted his rope and the two Cubs splashed on. Mr. Hatfield was waiting for them on a narrow ledge to the right of the stream.

Before the amazed eyes of the two boys spread a large chamber, nearly circular in shape. Occupying a large portion of the cathedral-like room was a round pool, which in earlier years obviously had been ground out of the rocks by whirling waters.

The underground river sought an exit at the extreme end of the chamber, beyond view of the Cubs.

A rocky ledge extended on three sides around the chamber. The shelf was barely two feet wide where Mr. Hatfield stood. Farther on, Dan and Brad could see that it widened to a sizeable floor.

“Be careful,” Mr. Hatfield warned as the Cubs came on. “There’s a sharp drop-off here at the entrance into the chamber. I couldn’t probe it with my stick. The pool must be over a man’s head.”

“Is this the end of it?” Brad asked, pausing.

“It’s as far as we’re going today. Maybe it’s as far as we’ll ever go. I’m satisfied now that the underground stream empties into James Lake. The tunnel through to the lake may be too small for exploration. I suspect it is, but at any rate, our curiosity is satisfied.”

“And we’ve found ourselves a cave!” Dan said. He caught himself talking in a half whisper. “Won’t the Cubs be jarred when we tell ’em about this!”

“We haven’t found our missing paddles though,” Brad remarked. “Wouldn’t you think they’d be floating around in this pool?”

“One would think so, unless they were sucked on down the tunnel to Lake James,” Mr. Hatfield remarked.

He trained his most powerful flashlight on the dark stream. No longer a whirlpool, only a slight circular motion could be observed.

Piles of sticks and debris drawn into the cave from the river, had accumulated against the rough chamber walls.

“Say, what’s that over on the ledge?” Brad demanded.

He focused his flashlight. The battery, however, had grown weak, and the light annoyingly blinked out.

Mr. Hatfield centered his ray upon the ledge. The Cubs then made out a pile of balsam boughs neatly piled against the wall.

“Balsam!” Dan exclaimed. “Freshly cut too!”

“Someone must have been using the boughs for a bed,” Brad reasoned. “Recently, too.”

“It does look as if this cave is being used,” Mr. Hatfield said. “Let’s look closer at that balsam pile. Be careful though. The ledge is slippery.”

Dan took a few steps only to halt.

“I’ve come to the end of my rope!” he announced. “And that’s no joke.”

“I can’t make the ledge either,” Brad reported. “The slack is practically all gone out of my rope. I’ll have to untie it.”

“No, don’t do that,” Mr. Hatfield ordered. “Just wait for me.”

While Dan and Brad remained on the narrow portion of the ledge, he circled around to the wider section.

Waiting rather nervously, the two boys found themselves shivering. A cold breath of air seemed to be circulating in the chamber. Their clothing was wet to above their knees, adding to their discomfort.

“Wish he’d hurry,” Dan muttered. “I’m getting anxious to get out into the sunshine again. This cave would give a fellow the creeps if he stayed here too long.”

Mr. Hatfield had bent down to examine the pile of balsam boughs.

“Someone’s been sleeping here all right,” he called to the Cubs. “And cooking in the place, too!”

“What have you found?” Brad demanded, for the Cub leader’s broad back blocked out the view.

“An old coffee can used for cooking a stew, or something of the sort. The rock is blackened from smoke. The coals are still faintly warm to the touch.”

“Gosh! Then our cave dweller has been here probably today!” Dan exclaimed, gazing quickly over his shoulder. “I wonder where he is now?”

Mr. Hatfield moved deeper into the chamber, away from the pile of balsam.

“Say, here’s something!” he cried. “I’ve found—”

But Dan and Brad did not learn what it was their leader had discovered in the darkness. In bending over he unintentionally had given the rope about his waist a quick jerk. At the mouth of the cave, the Cubs began to pull him in.

“Hey!” Mr. Hatfield exclaimed. “What’s coming off? I didn’t give the signal.”

Again the rope jerked. To avoid being pulled into the pool, Mr. Hatfield had to retreat backwards around the ledge.

“Those Cubs!” he exclaimed with an annoyed laugh. “They’re pulling me in! Either they’re worried because we’ve been gone so long, or something’s happened at the cave entrance!”