in a place like this
and feel that he may never be found."

"Well, yes," added Dickenson, "it is; without counting all the horrors
he'd conjure up about bogies and things coming after him in the dark."

"I dare say, sir," said the sergeant; "though I don't suppose there's
anything worse here than bats."

"Halt! Now, all together," cried the captain from behind, and another
series of shouts were given.

There was no response, and the party went spreading out and examining
every nook as they passed through the echoing chambers, but found
nothing.

"Is it likely that he did come out with us?" said Lennox as they neared
the second well-like opening over the rushing water.

"Can't say, sir," said the sergeant. "The last I saw of him was when we
were down in the lowest place, advancing to meet the second prisoner. I
just had a squint of his face then by the lantern, and it looked like
tallow."

"Effect of the light," said Dickenson.

"No, sir. It was the getting down that tree and hearing the water."

"That's it, sergeant," said the nearest man behind. "I never thought of
it till you said that."

"Thought of what?" said the sergeant roughly.

"'Bout what Corporal May said to me."

"What was it?"

"That it was enough to scare any one getting down such a ladder as that,
and if he'd known, he'd have seen the service anywhere before he'd have
come."

"Yes, he looked regularly scared, gentlemen," said the sergeant; and
then he stopped short, swinging his lantern over the hole before him and
showing the top of the tree ladder, while the gurgling, echoing whisper
of the running water seemed to fill the air with strange sounds. But
these were drowned directly by a fresh burst of hails, which went
echoing away.

"Forward!" said the captain at last. "Steady in front, there. Be
careful how you go down, men."

"Don't be alarmed, dear Roby," whispered Dickenson. "Just as if we
shouldn't be careful of our invaluable necks."

There was plenty of light now, for Lennox carried a lantern on going
down after the sergeant, who had gone first, and stood at the bottom
holding up his own, while four more were held over the yawning pit from
the top. The men, too, were in better trim for the descent, knowing as
they did the worst of what they had to encounter, so that they went down
pluckily enough, in spite of the tree quivering and threatening to turn
round, till it was held more steadily at both ends.

Then, as a