night. What, then, was the meaning of it?

Paul had promised himself that he would make an effort to find out; so,
as he had heard nothing from Wyndham, he seized the first opportunity
that occurred to visit that part of the common where the master had
disappeared. He followed the trail which the master had pursued in the
direction of the river until he came to the thickly-wooded part where
the trees, furze-bushes, brake, and bramble grew in wild profusion.

This was the spot where he had lost sight of him. At first Paul could
see nothing but the brambles. Examining the place more minutely, he
found the bushes curiously divided in the centre. Feeling beneath them,
his hand came in contact with cold iron. It was a ring, attached to a
circular piece of wood, rusty and moss-grown, so that in appearance
there was little to distinguish it from the undergrowth. He found little
difficulty in moving it.

He thought at first that it would prove to be the entrance to a well,
similar to the well in the ruins where he had hidden on the night he had
fled from Zuker; but to his amazement he discovered that it was no
well, but led to a sloping tunnel cut in the sandstone. That then was
the place where the master had so suddenly disappeared. For what
purpose? And where did it lead? It was impossible to tell without
exploring it. Should he make the venture? Should he enter it?

Paul hesitated for a moment, but only for a moment. The next he entered
the tunnel, cautiously drawing over the lid which concealed it. The
passage in which he found himself sloped downward, and was at first
scarcely large enough to allow him to walk upright. Little of light
penetrated into it, and he had, therefore, to walk cautiously along,
like a blind man, making sure of every step he took.

Presently the path seemed to broaden. Extending his arms to their full
extent Paul could just feel the walls on either side. He proceeded still
more slowly, straining his ears to catch the sound of footsteps. All was
silent. It was the silence of the tomb.

"My stars, what a queer place! I wish I could only strike a light, so as
to have a peep at it," thought Paul. "What can Mr. Weevil do down here?
It isn't a cheerful place, even for a man who happens to be very much in
love with his own society."

He came to a sudden pause. What was the use of exploring the tunnel
further? He could see nothing, hear nothing. So where was the use of
groping along in the darkness