“Somewhere among the rocks below the old mill. Instead of following the river we were caught in a side stream that flows under and between the rocks. I suppose we can be thankful that our lives were spared.” “Yes, indeed!” For several minutes the cadets were content to rest and gather their scattered wits together. The game of hare and hounds was completely forgotten until Andy chanced to glance at a big water-soaked paper still slung over his shoulder. “Wonder what became of the other fellows,” said he. “I hope they didn’t fall down the hole,” answered Pepper. “But if they did I reckon we would have heard it,” he added. How to get out of the place in which they found themselves was a serious problem. On all sides were the great rocks. The opening through which the light was streaming was fully fifty feet over their heads. “I guess the only thing to do is to climb out,” was Andy’s comment. “Think we can do it?” “We can try. But we don’t want to break our necks.” “Let us go to the upper end of the opening,” suggested the acrobatic youth. “It looks better to me there.” They walked to the spot Andy indicated, and then the acrobatic youth commenced to scale the rocks. Pepper followed, and thus they managed to climb about half the distance to the top. But at that point little short of sheer walls confronted them. “I guess we are stumped,” said Andy, in a disappointed voice. “Wonder if the other fellows are in this vicinity,” said Pepper. “If they are they could help us out somehow.” “Might call, Pepper.” Both of the boys called out at the top of their lungs, not once but several times. At first no answer came back. “Try again,” said Pepper, and they did so. The echoes had just died away when they saw a form appear at the top of the opening. “Who is down there?” came the cry. “Two boys,” answered Andy. “We want somebody to help us get out of this hole.” “Oh, that’s it,” said the person at the top of the hole. “Well, maybe, I can do the trick. I happen to have a long rope with me.” Something in the voice of the speaker struck Pepper as familiar. He strained his eyes, and then saw that the person who had spoken was the strange lad, Bert Field. CHAPTER XXV BERT FIELD’S REVELATION “Hello there, Bert Field!” “Hello yourself,” answered the lad at the top of the opening, in surprise. “Who are you?” “I am one of the Putnam Hall cadets, Pepper Ditmore.” “Oh, one of the fellows I met at the church?” “Yes. I have a friend with me, Andy Snow. Can you help us to get out of here?” “I guess I can,” was the answer from the boy above. “Can you climb a rope?” “I can,” answered Andy quickly. “And if Pepper can’t perhaps the two of us can pull him up.” “All right, here you are then. But wait till I tie the rope fast,” continued Bert Field. Quickly the end of a stout rope dropped into the opening. Then came a pause, and then the boy above shouted out: “All ready!”