“Here in the bushes. What are you doing in the ruins of that house when it was agreed you should look for a canoe?” Then it was that an idea came into my mind which, although it seemed unreasonable even to the verge of folly, prompted me to force my way into the hole. I had no more than gotten my body into the entrance when I saw that the sides of the hole, cave, or tunnel, whichever it might be called, were timbered to prevent the earth from caving in, and then that which I had said was folly to imagine became well-nigh a fact. I was in a veritable tunnel, which widened as I advanced until it was really an underground chamber, where, to my great surprise, I saw stored salted and smoked meat, together with many small packages done up in bark or furs. I was too much excited, because of this fortunate find, to make any careful examination of the different things around me, but pushed on until arriving at a wall of rock, through which the light of day came from above. Then it was that I called again for Master Bartlett, asking that he come down to the ruins of the building, and there was that in my voice which caused him to obey without parleying; but when he was near at hand I heard him ask, impatiently: “Where are you, lad? It is unwise for us to be moving around where those on the other side of the river can see all that is going on, and, if we are not to cross, it is better that we go back into the thicket.” Then it was that I tried to explain what I had found, but, before I had hardly well begun, he cried, excitedly: “You have found Eben Towle’s tunnel! I remember he declared, two years ago, that he had made one, and had a hiding-place out of which he could not be smoked. That was when the Susquehanna Company had sent warning we would be driven from the valley by force, and declared blood should be spilled if we failed to obey.” “Can you see any show of such a place from where you are standing?” I asked, and it was possible for me to hear his footsteps as he walked twice around the ruins before making reply. “There is nothing to be seen here but the charred timbers, lad. How did you get in?” Instead of replying, I made my way out with all speed, save that at the entrance I moved with the utmost care lest I leave a trail, and, on coming into the open air once more, saw that Giles March, having heard our voices, had joined the old man to learn what was going on between us two. Situated as we were, it was but natural that the same thought should come into the minds of all when the nature of my discovery had been made known. In this tunnel, which Eben Towle had made as a refuge against those of the Susquehanna Company who would have driven him from his home, our little party of women, children, and wounded lads might remain in safety awhile longer,--surely until the savages tracked us down once more.