a cobweb burning. The place is full of them; and--Oh, Scar!"

"What is it?"

"I can get my legs down here, and--yes, it's a narrow passage, and I can
stand upright."

Wondering more and more, Scarlett shuffled along to his companion, and
directly after they were standing together in a passage so strait that
they could barely pass along it as they stood square, their shoulders
nearly touching the sides.

"Yes, it's a passage, sure enough," said Scarlett, in an awe-stricken
whisper, as by the light Fred held he could see that the sides and
ceiling were of rough oak panelling, the floor being flagged with stone.

"Shall we go on?" whispered Fred.

"Yes. Why not? You're not afraid, are you?"

"Yes, a little. It's all so strange. Don't you feel a little--"

"Yes, just a little; but there can't be any thing to be afraid of. You
must go first."

Fred hesitated a few moments, and then went on for quite forty feet,
when the narrow passage turned off at a right angle for about another
twenty, when it again bent sharply round in the same direction as at
first.

"This cannot be a chimney?" whispered Scarlett, for the darkness and
heavy dusty air seemed to oppress them.

"No; they wouldn't make a chimney of wainscotting. Oh!"

"What have you found?"

"Look here; a lot of stone steps."

The boys stood looking at the old stone stairway, which seemed to invite
them to a higher region, but still as narrow as the passage.

The stones were dusty, and cobwebs hung in all directions; but
everything seemed as if it had been unused ever since the architect put
the finishing touches to the place.

The two boys looked at the stairway, Fred holding up the candle, and
Scar peering over his shoulder for some moments before the former spoke.

"Think we'd better go back now."

"Yes," said Scarlett; "only doesn't it seem cowardly?"

Fred remained silent for a while, and then said with a sigh--

"I suppose it does. Come on."

"Are you going up?"

"Yes. I don't want to. It's all so dark and creepy; but we should
laugh at each other for being frightened when we got out."

Scar nodded his head, and after a little more hesitation, Fred went
slowly up the stairs, to find that from the top another narrow passage
went off at right angles.

As they stood together on the narrow landing, Scar exclaimed--

"Here, I know. These are only openings through the thick walls to keep
them dry."

"Look!" said Fred, pointing b