Jack started as he had before done, as if he were not altogether
comfortable in his mind. He had never heard anything about enchanted
caverns, but a strange dread had seized him. He had an idea that the
place must be the abode of ghosts or spirits of some sort, and that Bill
had seen one.

Bill hurrying forward, the light of his torch fell on a pile composed of
bales and chests, and casks, and various other articles.

The place had evidently been used as a store-room by persons who must
have considered that it was not likely to be discovered.

As their torches were by this time nearly burnt out, they could not
venture to stop and examine the goods, but had to hurry back as fast as
they could. They had managed to get through the narrow passage, and had
made some progress in their return, when both of them were obliged to
let their torches drop, as they could no longer hold them without
burning their hands. They might have lighted their candles, had they
been in any difficulty, but their fire enabled them to find their way
along, though they stumbled frequently over the inequalities of the
ground, and once or twice Jack clutched Bill's arm, exclaiming, "Sure!
there's some one! I saw him move! Can any of the soldiers have come to
look for us?"

"Not with such a storm as there is now raging outside," answered Bill.
"It was only one of the marble figures."

Presently Jack again cried out, "There! I saw another moving. I'm sure
of it this time. It's a ghost if it isn't a man."

"Well! if it is a ghost it won't hurt us," answered Bill; "but the only
ghosts hereabouts are those curious figures, which can't move from their
places. For my part, I don't believe there are such things as ghosts at
all going about to frighten people. The only one I ever heard tell of
was `The Cock Lane Ghost', and that was found out to be a sham long
ago."

Jack regained his courage as they approached the fire, and both being
pretty well tired, they were glad to sit down and talk about the
wonderful store of goods they had discovered. Jack was afraid that the
owners might come back to look for their property and discover them, but
Bill was of opinion that they had been placed there by a party of
smugglers, who had gone away and been lost without telling any one where
they had stowed their goods.

From the appearance of the bales and chests he thought that they had
been there for some time. Another visit would enable them to asce