d, speaking in a whisper now,
for the silence and darkness were not without their effect upon him.

"There."

"Where's there? I can't see which way you mean."

"Exactly behind you," said Scarlett.

Fred made an involuntary movement in the opposite direction, one
imitated by Scarlett, with the result that they edged along about a
dozen feet before they were stopped by the wall of rock, which sloped
away above their heads.

"I wish it wasn't dark," said Fred. "Now let's try how far we can get
this way."

Still holding on tightly by the rope, they moved in a fresh direction,
finding the rock upon which they stood made irregular by the heaps of
slate and earth which had crumbled down from above; but over this they
cautiously made their way for seven or eight yards, when they were again
stopped by the sloping wall of rock.

The next investigation suggested itself as being the edge over which
Scarlett had stepped, and for the moment they shrank from that, and made
their way cautiously back, keeping close to the wall.

"Let's see how far it goes in that direction," whispered Scarlett. "I
fancy that's where the light comes from."

Fred acquiesced, and the little mounds of slate were crossed, and the
way followed till they had nearly reached the limit of the line, when,
low down before them, they made out a dark, rough-looking edge, black
upon the very pale light which struck into the cave.

"Why, that's the edge of the rough shelf we are standing on," said
Scarlett. "Now, let's get close to the line there, and look over."

"Shall we?"

"Yes; why not? I don't feel half so frightened now I've got over that
fall."

"I never felt frightened at all," said Fred.

"Oh?"

"Well, not much. Come along."

They approached cautiously, finding that the shelf grew narrower, and
evidently ended in a point.

"Mind!"

"Mind what?"

"I've got to the end of the rope."

"Well, let's leave go, and creep to the edge without it."

"No," said Fred, who felt that the rope was like a hand connecting them
with the upper surface. "Perhaps it has caught somewhere, and we
haven't got it all loose. Wait till I give it a jerk. Here, leave go
for a moment."

Scarlett loosened his hold, and Fred stepped back a foot or two before
sending a wave along the cord, which was followed by a rattling noise,
as if a quantity of the shale and earth had been set at liberty, and was
falling in a shower upon the rocky floor.

"There,