"Yes, and I'm going to find it!" Nancy said bravely.

"Oh, yeah? You're going to find what? The police?" Hank looked at her costume. "You're a spy. But your little game is up."

Nancy's pulse was racing. How could she get away? She could hear running footsteps coming through the tunnel, and knew her chance of escape would be over in another instant. In desperation she tried to jerk herself free from Hank. But her captor gripped her more securely and laughed as she cried out in pain, "Let me go!"

Nancy twisted and squirmed, "but her efforts Only made Hank tighten his grip. By the time the others reached her, she had given up the struggle and stood quietly waiting for the worst to come.

"Good thing you got her. Hank," Maurice Hale called. "The little wildcat! We'll give her a double dose for this smart trick! No girl's going to put anything over on me!"

At the entrance of the cave it was nearly as bright as day, for the moon was high. Maurice Hale glanced nervously about, as though fearing observation by unseen eyes.

"Get back inside!" he sharply ordered his followers. "It's a clear night and some wise bird might see us without our costumes and wonder what's up. We must destroy the evidence as quickly as we can and clear out of this place!"

Even as the leader spoke, Nancy thought she heard a rustling in the nearby bushes. She told herself that it probably was only the wind stirring the leaves. Rescue was out of the question, for no one knew that she and her friends had planned such a dangerous mission. How foolish. of them not to have revealed their full plans to someone!

Nancy made no protest as she was dragged back into the cavern. Bravely she tried to meet the eyes of her friends, for she saw that they were even more discouraged than she. Poor Bess was trembling with fright.

"Th-the perfume did it!" she wailed. "I knew this masquerade was far too dangerous for us to try!"

"Cheer up," Nancy whispered encouragingly. "We'll find some way to get out of here!"