monstrous lichen and gave way to tears. But not for long. Lathrop
was a plucky enough lad, and as Billy truthfully remarked:

"We are going to have enough water before long without our turning
on the weeps."

So Lathrop braced up and the boys looked about them. To their
intense joy they soon spied in the rocks, a short distance from
where they then were, a dark hole partly overgrown by creepers,
which was evidently the entrance to a cavern. At the same instant
there began a mighty pattering on the leaves of the dense tropic
growth all about them, and a louder growl of thunder announced that
the storm that had been heralded a few hours before was about to
break.

"Well, me for that African Waldorf-Astoria," cried Billy, grasping
his rifle and making a dive for the hole. Lathrop followed him and
as soon as they were inside the cave he lit a match from his
waterproof box.

"Looks to me like there might be snakes in here," he whispered, awed
by the darkness and silence of the place.

"Rats," laughed Billy, although he himself felt by no means sure
that at any moment some scaly monster might not descend from the
roof; "but I'll tell you what we'll do. Light a fire."

"How are we to get wood?" asked the practical Lathrop.

"There's plenty of it right at the mouth of the cave. I'll get a