er, and emerging to listen intently
before closing the opening, and hurrying to Scarlett's room for another
wash and clearance of the cobwebs and dust.

This done, they hurried out, full of eagerness to run down to the side
of the great lake, where they fully expected to find the opening at
once.

Failing in this, they stopped by a sandy bank, and, taking a piece of
stick, Fred set to work to sketch on the sand a plan of their
wanderings.

"You see, we started from here, Scar; then we went off so far to the
left, then to the right, then to the left again, and then up into the
chamber. Then we went out of the right-hand corner, and down that long
flight of stairs to the passage, which led straight away to the vault,
and down into the water."

"Well?" said Scarlett, coolly.

"Yes, of course, I see it now. Then, according to my plan, the way into
the lake must be just under where we are sitting."

"Where is it, then?"

Fred looked up at his companion, rubbed his ear again, and then looked
down at the water's edge.

"It must be here somewhere," he said. "Let's have another look round."

Scarlett rose to his feet from where he had been lying, and they once
more searched the side of the lake, which toward the house was deep and
dark below its high bank.

There were places where it might be possible for a tunnel to run down
into the water, shady spots where willows and alders overhung the lake;
places where birch and hazels grew close up to the patches of rushes and
reed-mace, with its tall broken pokers standing high above the waving
leaves.

In one indentation--a spot where the flat-bottomed boat lay moored--
Scarlett felt certain that they had found the entrance; but when they
lay flat on the overhanging bank and peered down below, there was
nothing to be seen but black leaves and dead branches far below, while
in mid-water, bar-sided perch in golden green armour, floated slowly to
and fro, seeming to watch the movements of sundry carp close to the
surface, gliding in and out among the stems of the lilies and nestling
beneath the leaves.

"It's of no use, Fred. I'm afraid we have made a mistake. That must be
a kind of well made to supply the house with water, and it is all fancy
about the passage coming down here."

At that moment there was a loud burst of barking, and the lads started
up to run towards the house, for two mounted men were on their way along
the winding road which crossed the park, evi