“Not without old P. D.’s head,” said Dick. “It is most valuable to me. I shall ship it to Washington at the earliest opportunity. I’ll carry it if it is too heavy for you.” “Heavy! Nonsense! What am I here for?” replied Doctor Dan. He picked up the head, which, with the neck, must have weighed at least forty pounds, and walked off down the shore, leaving Dick and Clara to follow as they pleased. “I’m afraid of that man,” said Clara. “Oh, Dick, it is terrible to hear my father spoken of so, and yet----” Clara paused. Dick said nothing. He was beginning to think that Mr. Eglinton must be a pretty bad man. “And yet,” continued Clara, after a moment, “I am afraid my father is not a very good man. Oh, Dick, I hate to say it, but after what you have done for me I ought to tell you--to warn you. Martin Mudd has had dealings with my father. On that very night when he tried to kill you in Washington he had just left our house and--and--Dick, do look out for yourself. Don’t go with me to the Gold Queen mine on any account.” “I’m not afraid,” replied Dick, “but I am going to do just as you say, Clara.” “If my father has robbed you of what rightfully belongs to you he shall make it good!” cried Clara, her eyes flashing. “Leave it to me, Dick. I am the only one in the world who has any influence with him.” “If he had robbed me of a million and it was going to do you harm to try to get it back again I would not make a move,” whispered Dick. Clara turned away, her face suffused with blushes. Arm in arm they walked along the shore. Had Dick fallen in love? Certainly it began to look very much that way. CHAPTER XX. THE SLEEPING PLESIOSAURUS. It was not until Dick and Clara had reached the Boiling Pot that the girl spoke again. “Where is Charley?” she asked. “Why isn’t he here?” Then Dick called a halt and told the whole story. Doctor Dan had been waiting for them and he listened with close attention. “It’s a bad business,” he said. “In all probability Charley has been sucked down into that underground river again, but as he went down once and escaped, he may have escaped a second time. Anyhow, let us hope so. Now, Dick, don’t you want to know how I came to be here, and where I got the head that scared your friend Mudd so?” “Indeed I do,” replied Dick, “and I want you to understand that I don’t give up hope about Charley at all, but one thing is certain, we have got to go down into the cavern and see if we can find him.” “Sure,” said Doctor Dan, “and we will find him. Now listen to me. There seem to be many ways into that cavern. I’ve been there. I found the Plesiosaurus’ head there. I came upon an opening in the rocks away over on the other side of the lake, near our camp, and, following it up, it took me into the cavern. I came out the same way you did. I crossed the underground river and, what is more, I struck your trail. I can take you back to camp the same way and we can hunt for Charley as we go.”