As the Vine Bridge fell Johnny jumped and caught the loose end and went swinging across the chasm at a dizzy speed. He managed to hold on, even if he did get quite a bump when the Vine Bridge struck on the other side. When the Leader of the Wolves jumped and missed Johnny, he flew headlong over the cliff. Gran’pa was watching the children, but when he saw the Wolf light upon the Rubber River he braced himself and brought his stout cane down upon the Wolf’s head with such force it did not move a muscle when it had ceased bouncing. Gran’ma, thinking the whole pack of Wolves would follow their Leader, ran to the side of the Rubber River and disappeared in a hole in the cliff. Gran’pa followed her, and it was well he did, for as soon as Gran’ma and he started to run the Wolves jumped over the cliff to the Rubber River. By the time the Wolves had quit bouncing Gran’pa was in the hole beside Gran’ma, and together they had rolled a large stone across the opening so the Wolves could not follow. As for Johnny, he swung to the other side of the canyon, climbed up the Vine Bridge and finally reached the top where Janey was sitting waiting for him. “Oh Johnny,” she cried, “the Wolves jumped over the cliff after Gran’ma and Gran’pa! Look and see if you can see them anywhere.” Johnny had been so busy climbing he had known nothing of what had happened below. Now he went to the edge and looked over. The Wolves were all at one spot on the cliff. “Oh dear!” he cried. “They probably have caught Gran’ma and Gran’pa!” At this Janey came to the edge and looked. She watched the pack closely for a few moments. “No, they have not! See! The Wolves are tearing and digging at that big stone. Gran’ma and Gran’pa must be behind the stone! There must be a cave there!” Johnny caught his sister by the shoulder and drew her hastily away from the edge of the cliff and into the bushes. “Old Jingles in the Flying Boat!” he whispered. “I just saw a speck in the distance, coming this way!” So the children, crouching low, ran away through the ferns and bushes. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER V THE BEAUTIFUL GIRL TELLS HER STRANGE STORY As soon as Gran’pa and Gran’ma rolled the stone across the opening they walked back into the cave. It was very dark and they held their hands in front of them so they would not bump their heads if they ran into a wall. By and by Gran’pa came to some steps, and feeling his way with his cane he helped Gran’ma up the long flight. They finally reached the top and walked into a spacious cavern filled with a greenish light. They could not discover where the light came from, but they could see each other quite plainly. Gran’pa and Gran’ma walked across the cavern until they came to a door over which hung a sign which read, “Stay out! This means you!”