"No, he's stunned. The sooner we get back to camp and fetch a doctor the better, Hayes and Armstrong, cut off as fast as you can, take the small boat and row across to Polkerwyck and fetch Dr. Carraway. Leave your staves here. Now, 'Wolves,' form a stretcher." In remarkably quick time the stretcher, formed by means of staves, belts, and long stalks of bracken, was made, and in broken-step form the Scouts carried their comrade towards the camp, Phillips walking by the side to guard against the possibility of the patient falling off. Before they had covered half the distance, Phillips perceived his patrol descending the road to Polkerwyck harbour. CHAPTER X V THE EXPLORATION OF THE TUNNEL BRINGING his binoculars to bear upon the stretcher party of the "Wolves," Mr Buckley saw that an accident had occurred. "You look through my glasses, Atherton," said the Scoutmaster. "You'll know who it is." Atherton did so. He was half afraid that there had been a shooting accident, but a glance removed that anxiety. The injured Scout he recognised as Coventry minor, and since Phillips understood that on no account was he to be accompanied by anyone else while carrying the gun, the logical conclusion was that the injured Scout had not received his hurt by this means. "There's Hayes at the landing-place," announced Atherton. "He's calling us up by semaphore. Reply to him, Baker, and I'll read the message." Baker stood upon the end of the stone pier so that his dark green shirt showed up plainly against the white-washed wall behind him. "Coventry has fallen down a hole. Concussion. Still unconscious. Fetch doctor," read Atherton. "Hurry up and bring the doctor along with you, Everest," said Mr Buckley. "Green and Baker will remain here with one of the boats. How many have you?" "Two, sir," replied the Leader. "One is on the Island side." "Signal to those fellows to bring that boat over, then," continued the Scoutmaster. "We can then get across and see what's wrong." While Everest was on his way to Dr Carraway--for the Scouts had made it a point of finding out where the doctor lived almost as soon as they arrived at Polkerwyck--the Scoutmaster and the four "Otters" crossed to the Island. During the passage Hayes and Armstrong told their comrades what had occurred, and how Phillips had discovered the butler's hiding-place. "Hiding-place," repeated Atherton. "Most likely a tunnel communicating with Polkerwyck House. Didn't Sir Silas say that the House used to be an old monastic building, and that it was partially rebuilt on the existing foundations? What puzzles me, though, is why Tassh did not return by the tunnel on the night of the wreck, since he evidently came to the Island by that way." "You've a fine site for a camp here, lads," remarked Mr Buckley, as the two patrols met. "It is unfortunate, though, that your holiday should be marred by this accident." The Scoutmaster knelt by the unconscious Scout.