Frank Merriwell's Alarm Part 32

"Not dead!" he exclaimed. "He still lives! There is a chance for him."

The thought that Harry's life might depend on his efforts aroused him still more. He loosened Harry's sweater and the collar about his throat, he chafed his wrists and temples, he fanned him, called to him, sought in many ways to arouse him.

At last he saw signs of success. Rattleton's breast rose and fell, and he gave a great sigh.

"That's right, old man!" cried Frank, with satisfaction. "Just open your peepers and let us know you are recovering."

Harry opened his eyes.

"Where--what--why----"

He seemed unable to ask the questions that sought for utterance.

"I was thinking the same things a few moments ago," said Frank. "We were knocked out in the first round with the old hermit."

"Hermit--what hermit?"

"That's it," nodded Merry. "You're as bad off as I was. Why, Carter Morris, the uncle of the girl with the golden hair, who has. .h.i.t you so hard."

A light of understanding came to Harry's face, and he revived with wonderful swiftness.

"I remember it all now!" he faintly exclaimed. "But I do not know what happened to us. It seemed to me that something struck me."

"Something did."

"What was it?"

"I don't know, but something knocked us both out. You remember that the old man warned us not to advance another step--said it would mean instant death if we did."

"Yes; but I thought the old duffer was bluffing."

"So did I. I have since decided that he wasn't."

"You think he gave us the knock-out?"

"I do."

"How could he?"

"Some way. He has some mysterious power, with the aid of which he guards the mouth of that cave."

"And that power must be----"

"Electricity!"

"It's a dead-sure thing!" cried Harry. "We were given an electric shock. When the man touched the wall with his hand, he turned on the current."

"I believe it."

"But how did the shock reach us?"

"Don't know. I saw no wires."

"Nor I."

"There must have been wires."

"I presume so."

"Well, where are we now?"

They looked around, but there was nothing about their surroundings that they remembered having seen before.

"We are not in front of the cave," said Frank.

"No, we are not where we fell, that is sure."

"We must have been removed to this spot."

"Sure."

"The bicycles--where are they?"

With no small difficulty they got upon their feet, and then they saw their wheels leaning against the face of a black rock near by.

At first their legs seemed scarcely able to support their weight, but they grew stronger as the moments pa.s.sed, and they approached the wheels.

Then it was they saw something drawn with white chalk on the smooth surface of the black rock.

It was the representation of a human hand, with the index finger pointing in a certain direction.

Beneath the hand were these words:

"THIS WAY--GO!"

"It is a warning!" cried Frank.

"You boot your bets--I mean bet your boots! It tells us to git."

"Well?"

With that word Frank turned on Harry sharply.

"You may go if you want to," said Rattleton; "but I never knew you to run away. You are not easily scared."

"How about you?"

"I am here to find that girl, and I am going to stay till I find her or croak! That's how about me!"