"Oh!" grunted Roby, halting the men; while the sergeant handed the coil of rope to one of them, who slipped it on over head and one shoulder, to wear it like a scarf; and James went on a few yards to a crack in the side of the rocky wall, thrust in his arm, drew out the bar, and trotted back to the opening, inserted the chisel, and raised the stone about an inch, when it turned upon its pivot directly. "Wonderfully well made," said Dickenson. "One might have passed it a hundred times." "Silence in the ranks!" cried Roby sternly; and the sergeant stepped into the dark hole at once, placed his hands one on either side of his lips, and gave a tremendous hail. All listened to the shout, which went echoing through the passages and chambers of the cavern; but there was no reply, nor yet to half-a-dozen more hails. "Tut, tut, tut!" ejaculated Roby. "I expected to find him waiting close to the entrance. Lanterns." The men were already inside lighting them, eight being rapidly got ready; and once more the party began to traverse the weird place, but under far more favourable circumstances, the line of golden dots formed by the lanterns giving every one a far better opportunity of judging what the place was like. At every turn in the crooked way a halt was called, and a fresh series of hails went echoing on before them; but not so much as a whisper of an answer greeted their ears. "The poor fellow must have become tired out with waiting," said Captain Roby, "and dropped off to sleep." "He sleeps pretty soundly, then," whispered Dickenson, who was in front with Lennox, following the sergeant, who carried the first lantern. "Ought to have been woke up by that last shout, though," said Lennox. "What do you say, sergeant?" "I'm afraid we shall come upon him soon regularly off his head, gentlemen," said the sergeant, "He isn't the pluckiest chap in his company." "Don't talk like that, sergeant," said Lennox sharply. "It's enough to drive any poor fellow crazy to find himself shut up in a place like this and feel that he may never be found." "Well, yes," added Dickenson, "it is; without counting all the horrors he'd conjure up about bogies and things coming after him in the dark." "I dare say, sir," said the sergeant; "though I don't suppose there's anything worse here than bats." "Halt! Now, all together," cried the captain from behind, and another series of shouts were given. There was no response, and the party went spreading out and examining every nook as they passed through the echoing chambers, but found nothing. "Is it likely that he did come out with us?" said Lennox as they neared the second well-like opening over the rushing water. "Can't say, sir," said the sergeant. "The last I saw of him was when we were down in the lowest place, advancing to meet the second prisoner. I just had a squint of his face then by the lantern, and it looked like tallow." "Effect of the light," said Dickenson.