“We’ll get him out!” shouted a forest ranger. “Any volunteers to go down into the hole?”
Arthur Wentz stepped forward. Rope was tied about his waist, and carefully he was lowered until his feet touched solid flooring.
For awhile those above could see the descending light, then it vanished. They paid out more and more rope until the coil was nearly exhausted.
Finally, a signal came--two short tugs. Gently, the men began to pull on the rope.
“Wentz is coming up!” one of the workmen shouted. “It’s hard pulling!”
“Then he must have found Bart!” Judy cried, hugging Kathleen in her excitement.
Minutes passed as the men kept at the rope. Then from the hole staggered Wentz and the young man he supported.
Bart was barefoot and his bare back had been covered by the ranger’s shirt. His lips were blue with cold, but he grinned with the spirit of a conqueror.
“Captain Hager!” he mumbled, embracing the old man. “I did it!”
“You sure did, son,” the captain answered, tears streaming down his grimy cheeks. “You almost did for yourself too.”
“I thought you’d get me out,” Bart said. “I never gave up, never for a minute.”
“You can thank these Scouts,” Captain Hager said, smiling at Judy and Kathleen. “They pestered me to go down into the cave with ’em. If they hadn’t, we’d never have learned that you went through the siphon.”
“It was a wonderful but terrifying experience,” Bart mumbled. “My father--”
“That can wait,” Captain Hager said gruffly. “You can tell us all about it later. Get yourself to a warm bed now, before you die of pneumonia. Get along with ye!”
Nearly exhausted, and shaking with cold, Bart was lifted bodily and carried to a waiting ambulance.
Two days had elapsed since Bart Ranieau had been brought out of Calico Cave suffering from shock, but otherwise unharmed by his thrilling explorations.
Long hours of sleep and plenty of food had restored him to his former peak of health. But as his strength returned, he became restless and pestered hospital officials until at last they dismissed him.
Almost immediately, Bart sought Judy and Kathleen at Pine Cone Camp to thank them for saving his life.
Word spread like wildfire that the young explorer had arrived and soon the daring young man was surrounded by Girl Scouts who teased him to tell the story of his adventure.