nick_--_nick_ came the sound of a flint against
a steel: tiny bright scintillations glistened in the black darkness, and
soon there was a faint glow as the convict began to blow one spark which
had fallen upon the wood Nic held. Then the spark grew brighter and
brighter, and at last shed a faint luminous glow sufficient to make
darkness visible; and this was increased by the convict taking the piece
of wood and waving it softly to and fro.

"A poor light," he said, "but it takes off the worst part of the gloom,
and it is comforting. I have not begun making myself candles yet, Nic."

"What's that?" whispered the boy, as there was a peculiar fluttering
noise and something swept his cheek softly.

"Only bats. There are plenty here. Don't you smell them?"

"Yes, there is a black-beetly smell; but I thought it was the wood. Are
there any--any dangerous beasts down here?"

"There are no dangerous beasts in this country," said the convict,
"except poisonous snakes and the crocodiles in the rivers, and I have
never seen one of them. No, Nic, there is nothing to fear here but
flood after a storm. Now, come along; step out boldly. It is nervous
work the first time. I felt a bit scared when I explored it. I could
walk through now in the darkness with my hands in my pockets. One only
has to let one's feet follow the water."

"But if you did not follow the water?"

"Then you might wander away into one of the side passages, or go down
some wide rift and lose your way."

"Is it so big, then?"

"Farther on. There it opens out into huge caverns, and rises up into
great cracks and chambers caused by the petrifying stony water. There
are sheets and columns and hummocks of stone all made by the drip from
above. This place has all been formed by the water eating away the
limestone rock, dissolving it here and piling it up there."

As the convict walked on, and Nic followed close behind, the splashing
of their feet echoed softly from the walls, and the man's voice sounded
shut in and smothered. The air felt hot too, and oppressive, while the
smouldering wood glowed and made the convict's figure stand out like a
solid carved block moving dimly outlined before Nic as he went on.

Then, all at once, the echoes of the disturbed water grew louder, and
went whispering away; and as Leather went on talking his voice seemed to
grow free, and the air was cool and damp.

"Now listen," he said; and he paused, waved his smould