the foot of the slide.

"I'll go first," cried Vince; and, seizing the rope, he held on by it,
and, shortening his hold as he went, contrived to walk right up to the
top, in spite of the great angle at which it stood.

"Try that way, Mike: it's as easy as easy."

The boy tried, and after a slip or two managed to reach the top pretty
well. Here it was found that the candle had burned right out, but
without injuring the socket; and a fresh piece having been set up, a
light was soon obtained, and they started back, after deciding to leave
the rope where it was, ready for their next visit, as they did not
anticipate any difficulty about climbing back up the various step-like
falls.

There was plenty to have detained them during their return journey, for
the passage of the little underground river presented a wonderfully
different aspect from the new point of view, and often seemed dimly
mysterious by the feeble yellow light of the horn lanthorn; but there
were no difficulties that a couple of active lads ready to help each
other did not readily surmount; and they went on turning curves and
loops and corners, mounting places that were once waterfalls, and
steadily progressing, till Mike was horrified by one of his companion's
remarks.

It was just as they had paused breathless before beginning to climb one
of the great step-like impediments.

"I say, Ladle," he cried, "suppose the water was to come back all of a
sudden, and begin rushing down here! What should we do?"

But Mike recovered his balance directly.

"Pooh!" he cried; "how could it? I don't believe there has been water
along here for hundreds of years."

He began to climb, and they went on again, till it struck Vince
seriously that they were a very long time getting out, and he cried, in
alarm,--

"I say, we haven't taken a wrong turning, have we?"

His words struck a chill through both, and they stood there speechless
for some moments, gazing in each other's dimly seen faces.

"Couldn't," cried Mike at last. "We did not pass a single turning."

"Didn't see a single turning?" said Vince. "No, we did not; but we
might easily have passed one going sharply off to right or left, and
come along it without noticing."

"I say, don't say that," whispered Mike hoarsely; "it sounds so
horrible. Why, we may be going right away from the daylight into some
horrible maze of a place underground."

"Seems as if that's what we are doing," said Vince sadly,