"Nay, not like thieves, master. Old Mother Deggins saw 'em the other night, and they fluttered and made a noise--great black witches, in long petticoats and brooms. It was a noise like thunder, and a light like lightnin', she says, and it knocked her down night afore last; and she won't live in the cottage no longer, but come next to ours." "Somebody tried to frighten her." "P'r'aps. Frightened two of our men too. They was coming back from Gatewell over the hills; and they see a light up by Ergles, where there aren't no lights, and they crep' up to see what it was, and looked down and see a fire, with a lot of old witches in long gowns leaning over it, and boiling something in a pot; and they think it's babies." "Why do they think that?" "I d'know, master. Because they thought so, I think. Then, as they were looking, all at once there was a ter'ble squirty noise, and a rush like wings; and there was no fire, and nothing to see. Glad I warn't there. Wouldn't go across the moor by Ergles for anything." "But you're not afraid to come along here in the dark." "'Fraid, Master Mark? No: why should I be? Nothing to hurt you here." "You're a queer fellow, Dummy," said Mark. "Yes, master. That's what father says. I s'pose it's through being so much in the mine." "I suppose so. But you don't mind?" "Mind, Master Mark? I like it. Wish you was at home more, though.--I say--" "Well?" "If ever you go to fight the Darleys, take me, Master Mark." "I shall not go to fight the Darleys, Dummy. They may come to fight us, and if they do, you shall come and help." "Hah!" ejaculated the rough-looking boy. "I'm pretty strong now. If they come and meddle with us, do you know what I should like to do, Master Mark." "No: hammer them, I suppose." "Nay; I should like to drive 'em all down to the place I'm going to show you." "Well, where is it?" "Oh, ever so far yet. 'N'our away." Mark whistled in surprise. "Not tired, are you, sir?" "Tired? No; but I didn't think you could go so far." "Oh yes, you can, sir, if you don't mind crawling a bit now and then. You can go miles and miles where the stone's split apart. I think it's all cracks under the hills." "On you go, then; but don't you want a candle?" "No, sir; I can see best like this, with you holding the light behind." Mark relapsed into silence, and his guide remained silent too, and went on and on, along passages formed by the busy miners of the past, in following the lode of lead, and along ways that were nature's work. At last, fully an hour after Dummy had announced how far they had to go, he stopped short, took a candle, lit it, and looked smilingly at Mark, who gazed round the natural cavern in which they were, and then turned to his guide. "Well," he said, "is this it? Not much of a place. I thought you said it went farther." "So it does, Master Mark. Shut your eyes while you count a hundred."