They both told themselves that they were not likely to meet anything
that would do them harm, but, all the same, neither of them could help
wondering whether there would be any unpleasant kind of fish in the
depths as they neared the lake. That word depth, too, troubled them.
It was easy enough to wade now, but suppose it should grow deeper
suddenly, and they should step into some horrible hole. Suppose--

"Look here," cried Fred, suddenly, as they waded slowly on, listening to
the whisper and splash of the water, "I wish you'd be quiet with your
suppose this, and suppose that. You don't want to frighten me, do you?"

"Why, I never spoke," cried Scar.

"Then you must have been thinking aloud, for it seemed to me as if you
were saying things on purpose to scare me."

"Well, it is enough to scare anybody, Fred; and I don't mind saying to
you that I don't like it."

"But we will not go back?"

"No."

"Only you might hold the light a little higher."

Scarlett obeyed, and they cautiously went on, with the water still about
the same depth, and for prospect above, before, and on either side,
there was the arch of rugged stones, the dripping wall, and the gleaming
water.

That was all, and after going about fifty yards, Fred exclaimed--

"I say, this can never be of any use to us. Who's going to wade through
water for the sake of having a secret place?"

"Nobody," replied Scarlett; "but let's go on, as we've gone so far."

"Ugh!"

"What's the matter?" cried Scarlett, stopping short suddenly.

"I thought something laid hold of my leg. Mind!"

Scarlett nearly dropped the lanthorn. "Oh, I say, Scar, that would be
too horrible. Do be careful. I don't want to be in the dark again."

"It was your fault, you pretending to be frightened."

"I didn't pretend. I was frightened. It did seem as if something
touched my leg. I say, how much farther do you think it is?"

"What! to the end? I don't know. Come along."

"Well, if anyone had told me that I should do such a thing as this, I
wouldn't have believed him," grumbled Fred. "How cold the water feels!"

"You wouldn't mind if it was one of the streams, and we were after
trout."

"No; because it would be all light and warm there, and we could see what
we were doing. Don't you think we might go back?"

"No. Let's go to the end now. I'm sure this is the way down to the
lake, and we shall find the entrance. Perhaps we shall find the end
blocked u