great curve, though it was so gradual that he
could not tell its extent.

"Why, I thought you were close behind me," said Scarlett, as he overtook
him. "Lean a little forward, and you'll find it easier to go along
through the water. It's getting just a little deeper now."

"Then this must be the way to the lake, after all."

They persevered, going steadily on for some time, and, with the water
gradually creeping up and up till it was mid-thigh, and then higher and
higher till it was almost to their hips, and then they stopped.

"I shan't go any farther, Scar," cried Fred. "I don't want to have to
swim."

"Yes, it is getting deep," said Scarlett, thoughtfully.

"Couldn't get a boat down here, could we!"

"No; but we might get one of the big tubs," replied Scarlett. "It would
hold us both. Shall we go back now?"

"Yes; we're so horribly wet; but hold the lanthorn up higher, and--Oh, I
say!"

Scarlett had obeyed, and raised it so high that the lanthorn struck
slightly against the rough roof, and, as the candle happened to be
already burning away in the socket, this was sufficient to extinguish
it, and for the moment they were in total darkness, or so it seemed to
them in the sudden change.

Then Fred cried exultantly, "Look! look!" and pointed to a bright,
rough-looking star of light.

"Sunshine," cried Scarlett. "Then that is the entrance. Shall we go
on?"

Fred had already squeezed by him, and was wading on toward the light,
which proved to be not more than fifty feet away.

"Come along!" he cried; "it isn't very much deeper, only up to my middle
now. Here, I'm touching it. This is the end, and--it's--it's--no, I
can't quite make out where it is," he continued, as he darkened the hole
by placing his face to it; "but I can see the lake, and I could see
where, only there's a whole lot of ivy hanging down."

"Can you get your head through?"

"No; too small. Come and look."

Fred made way for his companion, and, while he was peering through, the
other amused himself by feeling the flat surface which stopped farther
progress, and soon made out that there was a wall of rugged stone, built
up evidently to stop the entrance; and this was matted together with ivy
strands and roots which had forced their way in.

"Yes," said Scarlett, at last, as he drew away; "this is the entrance,
and now we've got to find it from outside."

"Yes; but how?"

"Oh, we shall soon find it. Get the boat, and hunt