Boy Scouts in the Coal Caverns | Page 9

There was an air of
insincerity about the man which at once put them on their guard.
Had Canfield visited them alone, they would have explained to him the
exact situation. In the presence of this detective, however, they decided
to do nothing of the kind.
"Now then," the detective said after a moment's silence, "if you boys
will outline the course you intend to pursue in this matter, I think we
can arrange to work together without our plans clashing."
"We have talked the matter over during the night," Will replied, "and
have decided to remain here only long enough to obtain some clue as to
the direction taken by the boys in their departure."
"Then you think they are not here?" asked the detective.
"There is no reason why they should be here, is there?" asked Will.
"I don't know that there is," replied Ventner.
"Can you imagine any reason for their wanting to linger about the
mine?" asked George.
"No," was the reply. "It has always been my opinion that the boys left
the mine because they feared arrest for some boyish offense committed
in some other part of the country, and that they are now far away from
this place."
Both lads observed that the detective seemed particularly pleased with
the statement that they proposed to abandon the search of the mine
immediately. Somehow, they caught the impression that they would
interfere with his plans if they remained.
"It might be well," Ventner said, directly, "to keep me posted as to any
discoveries you may make. We must work together, you know."

"Certainly," replied Will, speaking with a mental reservation which did
not include giving up of any information worth while.
"Well, then I'll be going," the detective said, strutting across the room,
with his little round belly protruding like that of an insect. "You can
always find me at the hotel down here, if I'm in this part of the country.
Just ask for me ask for me and I'll show up."
Canfield was turning to depart with the detective when Will motioned
him to remain. The caretaker turned back with a surprised look.
Will waited until the door had closed on the detective before speaking.
Even then, he went to the door and glanced down the passage.
"Something exciting?" smiled the caretaker, noting the boy's caution.
Will answered, "There's something exciting. Tommy and Sandy
disappeared during the night."
"Disappeared?" echoed the caretaker.
"Yes," George cut in, "there was some talk of their visiting the mine
just before we went to bed, and we are of the opinion that they went
down the shaft shortly after we fell asleep, and failed to find their way
to the surface again. We are considerably alarmed."
"I should think you would be!" replied the caretaker. "In the first place,
the Labyrinth mine bears the right name. There are old working" below
which a stranger might follow for days without finding the way out."
"Then we'll have to organize a search for the boys," George suggested.
"Besides,"' continued Canfield, "there are things going on in the mine
which no one understands. I have long believed that there are people
living there who have no right to take up such a residence."
"I'm sorry you said anything to this detective about our being here,"
Will said after this phase of the case had been discussed.

"As a matter of fact," the caretaker replied, "I didn't intend to say
anything to Ventner about your being here, but in some way he
received an intimation that you were about to take up the case and so
pumped the whole story out of me."
"Perhaps he received his information from the New York attorney,"
suggested Will.
"I'm sure that he did not," answered the caretaker. "If the attorney had
written to him in regard to the matter at all, he would have posted him
so fully that when he cross-examined me such a proceeding would have
been unnecessary."
"Has this man Ventner visited the mine often?" asked George.
"Yes, quite frequently."
"Does he always go alone?"
"Yes, he always goes alone," was the answer. "Once I accompanied
him to the bottom of the shaft but there he suggested that we go in
different directions, and did not seem to want me anywhere near him."
"I don't like the looks of the fellow, and that's a fact!" exclaimed Will.
"He doesn't look good to me."
After some discussion it was decided that the caretaker would
accompany the two boys to the bottom of the shaft and direct them
down gangways, which they could follow without fear of losing their
way, and the illumination of which would be likely to be observed by
anyone wandering about the blind chambers and passages of the mine.
When they reached