"Ouch!" came the unexpected cry from above. "Oh, my eye!"
"Hullo! you've lashed somebody!" ejaculated Dick.
"I didn't know there was anybody up there," answered Sam, as the noose of the lasso slipped downward.
The three Rover boys looked upward. They heard a hasty movement in the bushes and caught a brief glimpse of a man's face. On the instant the man disappeared, muttering something to himself.
"Are you sure?" asked both of the others, in a breath.
Dick had scarcely spoken the last words when down into the hole came a shower of dirt and stones, shoved over the edge above. The boys were struck by the stones and got some of the dirt in their eyes. Then down came a second mass of the same sort.
"Sto--stop that!" spluttered Tom, when he could speak. "Do you want to kill us?"
There was no answer, but down came more dirt and stones, until the boys were almost covered. What to do they did not know, until Dick suggested they drop from the ledge and seek safety in the cave. As they went down, a fair-sized rock followed, scraping Tom's shoulder and causing him to utter a sharp cry of pain.
"Are you hurt, Tom?" asked his two brothers.
"Oh, it isn't much," panted Tom. "But I wish I could get my hands on that rascal, that's all!"
"I am sure now that it must be Dangler," said Dick. "Nobody else around here would try to injure us. He is mad because we have exposed him. He must know the officers of the law are looking for him."
"I wish we could catch the rascal," muttered Tom.
"Supposing we climb the mountain from the outside?" suggested Sam. "It is a perfectly clear day and is early yet. We'll know enough to look out for pitfalls. If we can catch this Dangler the three of us ought to be able to manage him."
"If we are going to try anything like that we want to hurry," returned Dick. "He won't remain in this locality long--now he knows he is discovered."
"Maybe he thinks we didn't see him," came from Tom.
"Well, that will be in our favor. But he'll know somebody will be after him, for throwing down the dirt and stones."
Having eaten a hasty lunch and washed it down with water from a nearby spring, the three lads began the ascent of the mountain. This was hard work and caused them to perspire freely.