These so-called secret passages were very old and no one seemed to know for certain why they had been built. The story generally accepted was that they belonged to the time immediately following the Hussite Wars, when many Czechs were forced to emigrate to Slovakia. While they were allowed to come, meetings to study the Bible had to be held in secret. These passages, connected with several of the cellars, made such meetings possible. Although the Slovaks in the village were now Catholics, they had not forgotten stories of martyrdom and courage handed down from those times. They told how a pastor had traveled from village to village hidden in a load of hay; of how a Bible was once saved by being thrown down into a well, and many other tales. Taking the lantern, Etelka led the way into a little opening. It did not go far, for the earth had fallen down from the side walls, partially blocking it. The girls looked at one another. "I know what we can do," suggested Ruzena. "I saw an old board in the cellar. We can dig some of the earth away with that," and she ran to get it. She also brought back a big wooden ladle, and with these unusual implements, Marouska and Ruzena dug, while Etelka held the lantern, until the obstruction could be passed. There was comparative freedom after that for quite a distance. At one point the passage divided into three parts. The girls chose to go into the broadest, but scarcely had they gone twenty steps when the light in the lantern went suddenly out. [Illustration: "THE GIRLS HUDDLED TOGETHER, TOO MUCH FRIGHTENED TO MOVE"] "Oh, dear, now we're in for it," burst from Ruzena, as she felt Marouska catch tight hold of her sleeve. "Let's keep hold of one another and go back," suggested Etelka, her voice trembling slightly. It was not easy, for they had to feel their way along the wall. They became conscious, too, that the air was bad. Once quite a bit of earth fell down before them, but, fortunately, not enough to hurt or stop them. It seemed to them that they had been walking very, very long, when Ruzena broke the silence that had fallen, by volunteering: "We must have come to where the passage divides." "Yes, and I wonder--" Etelka did not finish, for Marouska clutched her wildly by the arm. "Oh, look back," she whispered fearfully. The girls turned. Coming behind them but from another direction were two red lights evidently carried by some person or persons. The girls huddled together, too much frightened to move. Suddenly Ruzena gave a funny, relieved, nervous laugh. "Why, if it isn't Jozef and Janik!" she exclaimed aloud and then ran forward and threw her arms about the astonished boys. "Oh, you dears, how did you know that we were lost?"