s heard, and the next minute the two little groups
clustered in their places close by the platform; Ralph gave the word,
the lanterns were bared, and thrown open, and three links at a time
thrust in, to begin burning, though not so quickly as their owners
wished, while men stood on either side with pikes levelled, ready to
receive the enemy should a rush be made from inside.

It was a picturesque scene, as the light from the lanterns gleamed dimly
upon eager faces, and lit up the bright steel weapons. Then, one after
the other, the torches began to burn and send upward little clouds of
pitchy smoke, the light growing brighter and brighter, and throwing up
the grey stones and darkening the shadows, till all were armed with a
blazing light in their left hands, and sword or pike in their right,
while between the two parties the mouth of the cave lay dark and
forbidding, but silent as the grave.

"Ready?" whispered Ralph.

"Ready!" came from Mark.

"Then forward!" cried the former, and, sword in hand, the two lads
stepped from right and left on to the platform, their shadows sent first
into the dark rift; while the Ruggs crowded after Mark, and Nick Garth
and Ram Jennings shouldered them in their effort to keep their places
close behind Ralph.

"Hang the link!" cried Mark suddenly. "Here, Darley, do as I do."

He threw his flaming torch right forward into the cave as far as it
would go, and it struck against the wall and dropped some dozen yards
in, and lay burning and lighting up the rugged passage.

"I'll keep mine till we get past yours," said Ralph in a hoarse whisper;
and the lads pressed in, side by side, to find that the link was burning
at an abrupt corner, the passage turning sharply to the right.

Mark stopped and picked up his link, but before he could throw it again,
Ralph stepped before him over the rugged floor and hurled his light, to
see it fall right ahead, after also striking against the wall.

"Zigzags," said Mark in a sharp whisper. "Here, mind what you're doing
with those pikes."

"All right," was growled, but the men who held the weapons did not
withdraw them, two sharp points being thrust right forward, so as to
protect the two leaders, the holders being Dan Rugg and Nick Garth.
Both Mark and Ralph objected to this again, but it was no time for
hesitation. At any moment they might be attacked, and they were all
wondering that they had heard nothing of the enemy, all being singularly
st