last, Jolly?" said Gwyn, after they had
progressed for some time and the lanthorn door was opened.

"Plenty--yes," said Joe.

"Wish I knew there was enough and to spare," said Gwyn.

"Why?"

"Because I'd have a bite off the end. I'm so faint and hungry, it's
quite horrible."

"Horrid!" exclaimed Joe.

"Not it. Nothing's horrid when you're starving. But I don't suppose
it's very far as the crow flies."

"Crows don't fly in tin mines," said Joe, who was in better spirits now.

"Well, then, in a straight line."

"I don't believe there's a straight line in the place."

"I say, don't chop logic, Jolly, and don't--I say, look here, Grip,
steady! don't pull a fellow's arm off!" interpolated Gwyn, for the dog
tugged heavily at the neckerchiefs. "Look here, Joe, old chap, do talk
gently to me, for I'm so hungry that I feel quite vicious, and just as
if I could bite. Ah, would you get away! Steady, sir! We want to get
home as badly as you do--for `hoozza! we're homeward bound--bound;
hoozza, we're homeward bound!'" sang the boy wildly.

"Don't you holloa till you're out of the wood."

"I wasn't holloaing," cried Gwyn, with hysterical merriment. "I was
singing, only you've no ear for music."

"Not for such music as that. Hark at the echoes!--they sound just like
howls."

"All right, but don't talk about getting out of the wood when we're like
moles underground."

"Who's chopping logic now?"

"Oh, anybody. Steady, Grip, slow march."

"Does he pull so hard?"

"Horribly; but I don't mind--it shows he knows his way."

Grip barked and dragged at the improvised leash as if determined to
hasten their pace.

"It's just like the greyhounds do over the coursing. But pull away, old
chap! I say, though, isn't it hot now?"

"Yes, I'm bathed in perspiration. We must be very deep down."

"Oh, no, it's just about on a level; sometimes we go down, and sometimes
up."

_Splash, splash, splash_, and then the dog's progress seemed to be
checked, as the boys followed into a pool of water which filled all the
tunnel to the sides.

"Stop!" cried Joe, as he waded to his knees.

"Why? What for?"

"Because we're going wrong."

"So I thought; but Grip ought to know."

"He can't, because we never came along here."

"No; but that proves he's right, for we never came along here, and we
always lost ourselves."

"But it's getting deeper, and there's no knowing how deep it will be."

"Never mind; we must wad