Mark stopped and picked up his link, but before he could throw it again, Ralph stepped before him over the rugged floor and hurled his light, to see it fall right ahead, after also striking against the wall. "Zigzags," said Mark in a sharp whisper. "Here, mind what you're doing with those pikes." "All right," was growled, but the men who held the weapons did not withdraw them, two sharp points being thrust right forward, so as to protect the two leaders, the holders being Dan Rugg and Nick Garth. Both Mark and Ralph objected to this again, but it was no time for hesitation. At any moment they might be attacked, and they were all wondering that they had heard nothing of the enemy, all being singularly still, save a low murmuring sound as of falling water at a distance. "They must be all out," said Mark in a low voice. "Gone on some raid. Well, we shall catch them when they come back." Chirp! "Who did that?" said Ralph quickly, at the sound of a steel weapon striking against the rock. But no one answered; and as they advanced slowly, and Mark stooped to pick up his burning link once more where it lay against the corner of the natural passage, Ralph seized the opportunity to change his sword to his left hand, and swing his round the corner out of sight. They heard it fall, and the glow struck against the wall to their left, lighting up the passage beyond the corner. "Take care, Master Mark," whispered Dan Rugg. "Ay, and you too, Master Ralph," whispered Nick Garth. "P'r'aps they're lying wait for us." "No," said Mark, aloud. "They're away somewhere, and I hope they haven't seen our lights." Whizz--thud! There was an involuntary start from the attacking party, for at that moment the burning link Ralph had thrown came sharply back, struck against the wall where the glow had shone just before, and dropped, blazing and smoking, nearly at their feet. "That settles it," said Mark excitedly. "Yes, and that explains the chink I heard. They're waiting for us. Ready? We must charge." Ralph's words were followed by the pressing forward of the men behind-- those of each family being eager to prove their valour by being before their rivals; and the next minute half-a-dozen were round the corner, with the two lads at their head, to find that the passage had suddenly widened out into a roomy chamber, toward whose high roof the smoke from the torches slowly ascended, and contracted again at the end, about a dozen yards away. "Yes, I remember," whispered Ralph. "I had forgotten: it goes off in a passage round to the left again at that corner." The men crowded in after them, finding ample room now, and all looked about, puzzled, for the enemy who had hurled back the link, several of those present being ready to place a strange interpretation upon the mystery.