"But, after all," suggested Doris shortly, "would you expect to see any real sign of the boards being movable or having been moved at some time? That would only give their secret away, when you come to think of it. No, if there _is_ some way of opening one of those corners, it's pretty carefully concealed, and I don't see anything for it but for us to bring some tools up here,--a hammer and saw and chisel, perhaps,--and go to work prying those boards up." The plan appealed to Sally. "I'll get some of Dad's," she declared. "He's got a lot of tools in the boathouse, and he'd never miss a few of the older ones. We'll bring them up tomorrow and begin. And I think your first idea about the corner was the best. We'll start over there." "I's cold," Genevieve began to whimper, at this point. "I don't _like_ it in here. I want to go out." The two girls laughed. "She isn't much of a treasure-hunter, is she!" said Doris. "Bless her heart. We'll go out right away and sit down under the pine trees." They emerged into the sunlight, and Sally carefully closed and concealed the entrance to their secret lair. After the chill of the underground, the warm sunlight was very welcome and they lay lazily basking in its heat and inhaling the odor of the pine-needles. Far above their heads the fish-hawks swooped with their high-pitched piping cry, and two wrens scolded each other in the branches above their heads. Sally sat tailor-fashion, her chin cupped in her two hands, thinking in silence, while Doris, propped against a tree, was explaining the pictures in her new book to Genevieve. In the intervals, while Genevieve stared absorbedly at one of them, Doris would look about her curiously and speculatively. Suddenly she thrust the book aside and sprang to her feet. "Do you realize, Sally," she exclaimed, "that I've never yet explored a bit of this region _above ground_ with you? I've never seen a thing except this bit right about the cave. Why not take me all round here for a way. It might be quite interesting." Sally looked both surprised and scornful. "There's nothing at all to see around here that's a bit interesting," she declared. "There's just this pine grove and the underbrush, and back there,--quite a way back, is an old country road. It isn't even worth getting all hot and tired going to see." "Well, I don't care, I want to see it!" insisted Doris. "I somehow have a feeling that it would be worth while. And if you are too tired to come with me, I'll go by myself. You and Genevieve can rest here." "No, I want to go wis Dowis!" declared Genevieve, scrambling to her feet as she scented a new diversion. "Well, I'll go too," laughed Sally. "I'm not as lazy as all that, but I warn you, you won't find anything worth the trouble."