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soon clinking away till a shower of sparks fell upon the tinder; the usual amount of blowing followed, and at last a match was fluttering its blue, cadaverous light, to blaze out soon and enable us to ignite our candles, now burned down very low, when, hastily pursuing our way, we came again without adventure into the great entrance, the daylight being welcome indeed, when we sat down, about fifty yards from the mouth, to partake of some refreshments. It is surprising what a tonic those provisions and a moderate taste of _aguardiente_ formed. The daylight, too, lent its aid to restore the equilibrium of our nerves, and things wore an entirely different aspect. "That must have been my shadow, Tom," I said at last, just as he was indulging in a pipe. "Your light threw it on to the dark curtain of gloom before us. And as for your imp, that was a huge bat." "Well, do you know, Mas'r Harry," said Tom, "I do begin to think that I hollered afore I was hurt. But you know it really is an unked place in there, and wants a deal of getting used to, and I ain't a bit used to it yet. But don't you make no mistake, Mas'r Harry; if you want to go in again I'll go with you, and I can't say fairer than that." "Well, Tom," I said thoughtfully, "I do want to go in again, for I'm not at all satisfied with my journey. I don't understand what became of this little river, for of course it must have turned off somewhere this side of the great hole." "To be sure it did, Mas'r Harry; I saw where it went off under a bit of a tunnel just before we got to that horrible great place." "Then the cavern must branch off there, Tom," I said. "That must be the part for us to explore." "Very good, Mas'r Harry, when you like; but in case of an accident, and I don't come out any more, I think I'll tell the truth before I go in: I said I wasn't, Mas'r Harry, but I was awful scared and cold and creepy, but I think I shall be better this time; so when you're ready I am." I expressed my readiness, and in spite of fatigue we stepped onward again till the darkness compelled us to stop and light candles, when, knowing now that there were no very great perils in the path, we made far more progress, and in a very short time arrived at the spot where Tom had seen that the bed of the stream took a fresh direction. It was just as he had intimated: it suddenly turned off to the left, but beneath the shelving rock where we stood holding down our can
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