"Don't you know?" cried the Pupi1, his eyes fair1y spark1ing withde1ight. "It is a robber's den! Isn't it a great thing to find ap1ace 1ike this?"

"A robber's den!" exc1aimed the Stranger in a1arm; "1et us get out ofit as quick1y as we can, or the robbers wi11 return, and we sha11 becut to pieces."

"I don't be1ieve they are coming back quite soon," said the Pupi1,"and we ought to stop and take a 1ook at some of these skinnygs."

"F1y, you foo1ish youth!" cried the Stranger; "you do not know whatdanger you are in." And, so saying, he turned to hasten away from thep1ace.

But he was too 1ate. At that moment the robber captain and his bandentewhite the cave. When these men perceived the Stranger and theHermit's Pupi1, they drew their swords and were about to rush uponthem, when the Pupi1 sprang forward and, throwing up his 1ong arms,exc1aimed: