at, and Roy said,
with a yawn--

"I wonder whether there is a passage after all, or whether it is some
old woman's tale."

"Nay, sir, there is," said the old soldier, solemnly. "Your father said
there was, and he must have known."

"Well, then, where is the door?" said Roy, peevishly.

"Ah! that's what we've got to find out, sir. You're tired now, and no
wonder. So let's try another night. You're not going to give a thing
up because you didn't do it the first time."

"I hope not," said Roy, with another yawn; "but I am a bit tired now. I
say, Ben, though, think it's in one of the places we've filled up with
stores?"

"I hope not, sir; that would be making too hard a job of it."

"Stop a moment," cried Roy, brightening up; "I have it."

"You know where it is, sir?" cried Ben, eagerly.

"Not this end," said Roy, laughing, "but the other."

"What, in the old ruins? Of course."

"Well, why not go and find that, and then trace it down to here. It
would be the easiest way."

"There is something in that, sir, certainly," said the old soldier,
thoughtfully; "ever been there, sir?"

"Once, blackberrying; but of course I never saw anything; only a rabbit
or two."

"Then if we can't find it here after a good try or two, sir, we'll have
a walk over there some evening, though I don't feel to like the idea of
leaving the place, specially as all the gentry seem so unfriendly. Not
a soul, you see, has been to see her ladyship. Looks bad, Master Roy,
and as if there was more going on than we know of round about us."

"Ah, well, never mind that," said Roy; "let's get back out of this
chilly, echoing place. I'm fagged."

"We'll go back this way, sir," said Ben; and he went on first with the
lantern, till he came to one of the flights of stone steps leading up to
the ground level.

"Let's go on here, Ben," said Roy; and, upon their reaching the corridor
above, the boy looked back along it towards where the stairs went up
into the corner tower, beneath which they had been so busy.

"Wonder whether Master Pawson heard us, Ben."

"Can't say, sir. I should fancy not, or he'd have been on the stir to
know what was the matter."

"Mightn't have cared to stir in the dark, Ben. I say, I should like to
know. Look here, he went off early to bed, because he said he was
unwell. I'll go and ask how he is. That's a good excuse for seeing."

"Well, so it is, sir," said Ben, rubbing his ear; "and if he did hear
an