"Two!" yelled the sergeant gleefully, pouncing on his prisoner. Another pair of handcuffs was produced, the chain was slipped through the chain of the other thief's shackles, and the pair were swiftly manacled together.
The officers plunged on into the main cave.
In the glare of the flashlights they saw the truck and one of the pleasure cars standing by the wall. The two other cars that had been in the cave had disappeared. No men were in sight.
The raiding party heard the roar of a racing engine, a grinding of brakes, and a confusion of shouts.
"They're getting out!" Frank Hardy shouted. He pointed to the huge opening in the wall, through which the car had disappeared.
With the police at his heels, he headed down the passage. It was wider than the one through which they had entered, and the rocky floor gave way to earth, in which ruts were clearly visible.
Ahead of them they heard a shot, then more yells.
"Joe and his men are on the job," Frank reflected.
He was right. They reached the mouth of the passage, and there they came upon a large touring car. Two men were standing up in the
