n-limestone ridge, beneath which,
half-way down, as they well knew, the cavern lay, the two parties
marched on in silence side by side, pausing every few minutes, in
response to a shrill chirp, while the leaders took a few paces ahead to
make a keen observation and whisper a few words.

"All still," said Ralph, after the last of these pauses, which took
place where the slope had grown steep, and they had about a quarter of a
mile to go upward to reach the entrance to the cavern.

"Are you sure we're aiming right?" whispered Mark.

"Certain. The hole is below that sharp point you can see against the
sky. I remember it so well. Saw it when the men had surrounded us, and
the captain was making signs."

"Keep on, then," whispered Mark. "Let's get one on each side of the
mouth, light our torches, and rush in. We'll go in side by side, and
the men must follow as they can."

The march upward in the darkness was resumed almost without a word, but
no regular lines could be kept to now, on account of the blocks of stone
projecting, rough bushes, and cracks and deep crevices, which became
more frequent as they progressed. Then, too, here and there they came
upon heaps of broken fragments which had fallen from above, split away
by the frosts of winter.

Hearts beat high from excitement and exertion, for the slope grew more
steep now, and an enemy would have been at great advantage above them,
if bent on driving them back.

But all remained still: there was no warning of alarm uttered by sentry,
no shrill whistle; and so utterly death-like was all around, that Ralph
whispered to Mark, who was close beside him now:

"I believe they must be all out on some raid."

"Seems like it," whispered back Mark; and they paused to let their men
get close up, for the entrance could now dimly be made out, some twenty
yards higher.

"Better take your lantern," whispered Mark. "Then give the word after
you are up, on one side, and we the other. We must go in at once then,
for the light will startle them if they're there."

The lantern, carefully shaded, was passed to Nick Garth, and once more
they pressed on, the men spreading out a little on either side now, so
as to get level with the entrance, which gradually grew more plain, in
the shape of a narrow cleft, little more than wide enough to admit one
at a time; and they saw now that stones had been roughly piled beneath
it to form a rough platform in front.

Still no sound wa