nd, nervously, over his
coat, I noticed that he was dripping; and concluded that he must have
tried to follow me, and fallen into the water; from which he would not
find it very difficult to climb.

Having waited a minute, or so, to steady myself, I proceeded along the
way, Pepper following, quietly. I was curiously glad to have the old
fellow with me. He was company, and, somehow, with him at my heels, I
was less afraid. Also, I knew how quickly his keen ears would detect the
presence of any unwelcome creature, should there be such, amid the
darkness that wrapped us.

For some minutes we went slowly along; the path still leading straight
toward the house. Soon, I concluded, we should be standing right beneath
it, did the path but carry far enough. I led the way, cautiously, for
another fifty yards, or so. Then, I stopped, and held the light high;
and reason enough I had to be thankful that I did so; for there, not
three paces forward, the path vanished, and, in place, showed a hollow
blackness, that sent sudden fear through me.

Very cautiously, I crept forward, and peered down; but could see
nothing. Then, I crossed to the left of the passage, to see whether
there might be any continuation of the path. Here, right against the
wall, I found that a narrow track, some three feet wide, led onward.
Carefully, I stepped on to it; but had not gone far, before I regretted
venturing thereon. For, after a few paces, the already narrow way,
resolved itself into a mere ledge, with, on the one side the solid,
unyielding rock, towering up, in a great wall, to the unseen roof, and,
on the other, that yawning chasm. I could not help reflecting how
helpless I was, should I be attacked there, with no room to turn, and
where even the recoil of my weapon might be sufficient to drive me
headlong into the depths below.

To my great relief, a little further on, the track suddenly broadened
out again to its original breadth. Gradually, as I went onward, I
noticed that the path trended steadily to the right, and so, after some
minutes, I discovered that I was not going forward; but simply circling
the huge abyss. I had, evidently, come to the end of the great passage.

Five minutes later, I stood on the spot from which I had started;
having been completely 'round, what I guessed now to be a vast pit, the
mouth of which must be at least a hundred yards across.

For some little time, I stood there, lost in perplexing thought. 'What
does