But he slipped on the edge and one leg, from
his foot to above his knee, got very wet and muddy.
"Oh, wow!" he cried. "Now I've got to stop and clean this off."
He began to wipe off the worst of the mud on bunches of grass, while
Janet sat down on a log near by.
"I'm sorry you fell in the mud, Teddy," she said, "but I'm glad I can
rest, for I'm awful tired. You go so fast!"
"Come on, hurry up!" called Hal, as Ted still brushed away with the
bunch of grass. "Let it dry and it will come off easier."
"I guess it will," agreed Ted, looking at his muddy stocking. "It
won't come off this way."
However, the accident had given his sister a little chance to rest,
and now Janet was able to keep up with the boys. Pretty soon they were
near the hole into which Ted had fallen, and out of which the cave
opened.
"Now be careful!" whispered Hal, as he got out his flashlight. "Maybe
the tramps are there!"
"I've got my hatchet!" exclaimed Ted.
"I'm not going in if the tramps are there," declared Janet.
"We'll look first, and see," offered Hal.
"But I don't want to stay here alone!" objected Janet, as her brother
and Hal slid down into the hole and looked into the black opening of
the cave.
"We won't go very far," promised Ted. "We'll be back in a minute.
Don't be afraid."
Then he and Hal went into the cave, while Jan, half wanting to cry,
waited outside.
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