dley continued.

"At last we reached the castle, where we had often been before, and
for a while I was more good-natured, for there was nothing I liked
better than climbing up and down the broken stairway, which wound
round and round like a great screw, or looking into every queer little
room hid away in the thick walls, or climbing to the turrets to wave
my handkerchief like the flag of a conquering hero.

"But this afternoon there was something new to see. In the great hall
just under the stairs, the floor had lately caved away, and you could
see down into a deep vault. Bernard and I lay down with our faces just
over the edge, and tried to see the bottom, but it was dark as pitch,
and we couldn't make out anything.

"'I shouldn't wonder if they buried dead people there, a great while
ago,' said Bernard, with a little shiver; and when we both got up,
feeling very sober, he said, just to raise our spirits,--

"'Let's have a race up the steps, and see which will get to the roof
first.'

"Off we started. I could generally climb like a wild cat, but in some
way I stumbled and hurt my knee, and Bernard gained very fast. I felt
my quick temper rising again. 'Shall he beat me in everything?' I said
to myself, and with a great spring I caught up to him, and seized his
jacket. Then began a struggle. Bernard cried 'Fair play,' and tried to
throw me off; but I was very angry, and strong as a young tiger, and
all of a sudden--for I didn't know what I was about--I just flung him
with all my might right over the edge, where the railing was half
broken down!"

"Oh dear! oh dear!" cried little Prue, bursting into tears, "did it
_kill_ him?"

A merry laugh from Bernard, followed by a hearty chorus from the rest,
restored bewildered little Prue to her senses. But Dudley went on very
soberly.

"Bernard screamed as he went over, and with that scream all my anger
died in a minute, and I sat down on the stairs, shaking from head to
foot. Then I listened, but I didn't hear a sound. I don't know how
long I sat there, but at last I got up very slowly, and began to come
down just like an old man. It was so dreadfully still in the old
castle, that I felt in a queer way, as if _I_ must be very careful,
too, and I stepped on my tip-toes, and held my breath. When I got to
the foot, I felt as if a big hand held my heart tight, and when I
tried to walk towards the spot where I thought Bernard must have
fallen, I could not move a step. But