Crown and Sceptre: A West Country Story Read online

are you going to get them here?"

  Scarlett gave his dark curls a vicious rub. "I never thought of that."

  "Never mind; but we could bring some cushions, and store up fruit, andmake this our cave. You will not tell anybody?"

  "I should think not."

  "Not even Lil."

  "No; she'd go and tell every one directly. Why, Fred, this will besplendid. What a discovery!"

  "When we've cleaned it up it will be a little palace."

  "And we can keep our stores in the closet there, and--Think there'll beany rats?"

  "No signs of any. Can't smell 'em."

  "They've never found their way here. Dare say there are some bats; butwe'll soon clear them out. Wish there were a fireplace. We could cookthe birds and fish we caught."

  "Let's see what's in the cupboard."

  Fred crossed the little chamber to the corner where the second doorstood ajar, and it was so similar to the panelling that but for itsbeing partly opened, it would not have been seen.

  This, too, gave forth a dismal hollow groan as it was drawn inward uponits concealed rusty hinges, and then, as Fred raised the light to seewhat was inside, he exclaimed--

  "Why, it isn't a cupboard. Here's another flight of steps!"

  Scarlett pressed forward and stood beside him, peering beneath thecandle, and looking down the dusty stone stairs into utter darknessbeyond the faint light shed by the candle.

  Then he turned to Fred as he grasped his arm and looked inquiringly intohis face.

  "I will if you will," said Fred, as if his companion had asked him aquestion.

  "Come along, then," cried Scarlett, excitedly. "Only let's keeptogether."

  "Of course. Shall I go first?"

  "No, I'll go," said Scarlett, after a momentary hesitation.

  He snatched the candle from his friend's hand, and took a step forwardon to the little square landing.

  "Mind the door doesn't blow to. Push it wide open."

  Fred did as he was told, the rusty hinges giving forth another dismalgroan, which seemed to echo hollowly and then to die away.

  "Come along," said Scarlett, in a low voice; and, holding the candlewell before him, he began to descend the narrow steps, the distance fromside to side being precisely the same as before.

  "Smells cold and damp," whispered Fred, when they had descended abouttwenty steps; "just like a wine cellar."

  "Perhaps it is one when we get to the bottom, and full of old wine."

  "Are there many more steps?"

  "Can't see. Shall we go any farther?"

  "Oh yes; we'll go to the bottom, as we are here."

  "Stop a moment. What was that?"

  "I didn't hear anything."

  "Yes; there it is again."

  "Sounded like a drip of water in a pool."

  "Perhaps it's a well."

  "They wouldn't make a well here. Let's go to the bottom, and then besatisfied for one day."

  "Take hold of hands then, in case."

  "In case of what?"

  "There may be foul air at the bottom, same as there was in the Manorwell."

  "You are saying that to frighten me."

  "No."

  "Well, it sounded like it. Let's go on."

  The two explorers of this hidden way went on down and down, with thesounds made by their feet echoing strangely; but still there were freshsteps, and the distance seemed in their excited state to be tremendous.Scarlett, however, persevered, though his movements were slower andslower; and more than once he turned back to hold the light as high aspossible, so as to gaze up at the way they had come, looking over hisshoulder, and still holding tightly by Fred's hand.

  "We must be right down ever so much below the house," he said at last."Shall we go any farther?"

  "Oh yes, I'd go on," replied Fred, quietly; and once more the two ladsgazed in each other's eyes as if looking for signs of fear.

  "Come along then," cried Scarlett, manfully; and he went down and downmore steps to stand at last on level stones, a narrow passage stretchingout before him, while the stone walls and ceiling gleamed as if slightlydamp.

  "Hold the light up a little higher, Scar," whispered Fred.

  Scarlett raised his left hand to the full length of his arm; there was asoft _dab_, and Fred uttered a subdued "Oh!" as his companion's righthand grasped his with spasmodic violence.

  For Scarlett had pressed the candle up against the stone ceiling, andthe arched surface thoroughly performed the duty of extinguisher,leaving them in total darkness.

  Half a minute must have passed, during which they were stunned by thehorror of their position, before Scarlett exclaimed--

  "Oh, Fred, what shall we do?"

  There was no answer, Fred holding the other's hand tightly, and it wasnot until the question was repeated that he uttered a low gasping sigh.

  "We can find our way back," he whispered, in an awe-stricken voice."There's nothing to mind, for we can't go wrong."

  "But we might take a wrong turning, and never find our way out."

  "There are no turnings," replied Fred, stolidly. "Come along."

  "Listen! Wasn't that something?"

  "I don't hear anything, only the echo. Hoi!"

  Fred half shouted the last word, and as they listened it seemed to runright away in an echoing, hollow way, to die at last in quite a whisper.

  "What a horrible place!" faltered Scarlett. "Let's make haste back. Isay, don't you feel scared?"

  "I don't know," whispered back Fred. "I feel as if I do. I'd giveanything to be out in the sunshine again, and I wish we had not come.Let's make haste."

  Scarlett needed no further urging, but pressed on so closely behind hiscompanion that they seemed to move as one, Fred passing his hand alongthe cold stone wall as they went on, up and up the apparently endlessflight of steps, till the landing was reached, and the leader graspedthe door.

  "There!" he cried, as they passed into the little room, Scarlett closingthe door behind them, the hinges creaking dismally. "Now for the otherdoor. I don't seem to mind so much now."

  "I don't think I do; but it seems very queer. What's that?"

  "Only me. I touched you with my hand."

  "It felt so cold on my cheek, it sent a shiver through me. Let's makehaste."

  "You go first this time, then. You remember where the door is?"

  "Yes, I remember," replied Scarlett. "It was just a few steps over hereand--I say, Fred, it's gone!"

  "Nonsense! It can't have gone. Feel about with your hands."

  Scarlett felt here and there, and then uttered a low sigh.

  "I can't find it. Come over here."

  Fred crept to him, and as he felt about in the utter darkness, hetouched his companion, who uttered a cry and rushed away from him.

  "Don't be a coward, Scar. It was only I."

  "I'm not a coward," cried Scarlett, angrily; "only I fancied somethingwas going to touch me, and you came so quietly. Where are you?"

  "Here. And, I say, you made me turn about, and I don't know which naythe door is now. But we'll soon find it."

  Nothing seems more simple to talk of, but nothing is more confusing thanto be standing in profound darkness, not knowing which way to go, theslightest deviation beginning the confusion, which seems to augment.

  Fred's attempt to regain touch of their position was simple enough. Hewent forward, and after a step or two touched the wall.

  "Here we are, Scar," he said. "Come along. The door is just here.Yes; here it is."

  He seized the edge, and it gave forth its dismal creak again.

  "That's the wrong door," cried Scarlett, excitedly. "The one we justcame through."

  "Is it?" said Fred, confusedly. "Yes, I suppose it is. Then we musttry again. How stupid!"

  The second trial was more successful; and slowly and cautiously passingthrough, they began directly after to make their way along the firstpassages they had traversed, feeling their course round the angle
s atthe sharp turns, and with their spirits rising fast as they felt thatthey were approaching the entrance; and as they at last reached it, withthe daylight shining through, feeling ready to laugh at their fears.

  "Here we are, Scar," cried Fred, as he lay down and rolled himself overand over till he was in the hollow stair, and directly after climbedout, bent down and took the candlestick from his companion's hand,leaving him free to follow, but