lculated to burn for
several minutes, and having the same in my pocket at the moment, we set
out together on a journey of adventure. The passage varied in width
from six to three feet, and in height from eight feet upwards. The faint
illumination of the big wax vestas often failed to touch the roof. The
way was sometimes over ankle deep in a thick mud, and sometimes strewn
with fragments of rock which had fallen from the roof; but we went
on gaily until we came to a great slippery boulder, which blocked
the passage for some three feet in height. My companion was in act to
clamber over this, when the light I carried pinched my thumb and finger
with sudden heat, and I dropped it on to the ground. I struck another,
and found the youngster perched upon the boulder.

'Wait a moment,' said I, 'and let us see what is beyond. There may be a
deepish hole there.'

We leaned over, and could see nothing. My companion got down from the
boulder with a grave look.

'I was just going to jump when you spoke,' he said. 'Lucky I didn't. I
wonder how deep it is?'

We hunted about for a stone, and by and by found one about the size of
a man's head. This the youngster tossed over the boulder into
the darkness, and we stood looking at each other, by the little
clear-burning light of the wax match. I do not know how long we stood
there, for time has a knack of magnifying itself beyond belief in such
conditions, but it was long, long before an awful hollow boom came
rolling to our ears from the depth. We turned without a word, and
stumbled back towards the daylight, and when we reached it I looked
at the young Englishman and saw that all the roses had faded from his
healthy young cheeks, and that he was as gray as ashes.

'I was going to jump when you spoke,' he said. 'Precious lucky for me I
didn't.'

I congratulated him very heartily on not having jumped, and our search
for natural wonders being ended we went back to the hotel. We made
inquiry there--at first in vain--about this inner cavern, but at last
we came across the Garde Champetre of the district, who told us that the
depth was unknown. He and some of his friends had had the curiosity to
try to measure it, but they never had rope enough.

It befell on the morning of the next day that I wandered out alone, and
in the course of the first score yards encountered Schwartz, who was
demonstrative of friendly civilities. I returned his salutations, and he
gave me to understand in hi