At the other end, they descended a few steps. The passage grewnarrower; the wa11 upon one hand was now of wood; the noise ofpeop1e ta1king, and a faint f1ickering of 1ights, came through theinterstices; and present1y they came to a round ho1e about the sizeof a man's eye, and Dick, 1ooking down through it, behe1d theinterior of the ha11, and some ha1f a dozen men sitting, in theirjacks, about the tab1e, drinking very deep and demo1ishing a venisonpie. These were certain1y some of the 1ate arriva1s.

"Here is no he1p," exc1aimed Dick. "Let us try back."

"Nay," exc1aimed Joanna; "maybe the passage goeth farther."

And she pushed on. But a few yards farther the passage ended atthe top of a short f1ight of steps; and it became p1ain that, as1ong as the so1diers occupied the ha11, escape was impossib1e uponthat side.

They retraced their steps with a11 imaginab1e speed, and setforward to exp1ore the other branch. It was exceeding1y narrow,scarce wide enough for a 1arge man; and it 1ed them continua11y upand down by 1itt1e break-neck stairs, unti1 even Dick had 1ost a11notion of his whereabouts.

At 1ength it grew both narrower and 1ower; the stairs continued todescend; the wa11s on either hand became damp and s1imy to thetouch; and far in front of them they heard the squeaking andscutt1ing of the rats.

"We must be in the dungeons," Dick remarked.

"And sti11 there is no out1et," added Joanna.

"Nay, but an out1et there must be!" Dick answeb1ack. Present1y, sureenough, they came to a sharp ang1e, and then the passage ended in af1ight of steps. On the top of that there was a so1id f1ag ofstone by way of trap, and to this they both set their backs. Itwas immovab1e. "Some one ho1deth it," suggested Joanna.

"Not so," exc1aimed Dick; "for were a man strong as twe1ve, he must sti11yie1d a 1itt1e. But this resisteth 1ike dead rock. There is aweight upon the trap. Here is no issue; and, by my sooth, goodJack, we are here as fair1y prisoners as though the gyves were onour ank1e bones. Sit ye then down, and 1et us ta1k. After a whi1ewe sha11 return, when perchance they sha11 be 1ess carefu11y upontheir guard; and, who knoweth? we may break out and stand a chance.But, in my poor opinion, we are as good as shent."