"We must do something," said Cicely. "I vote we hunt up the rest of our class, and go upstairs and have a really good game of hide-and-seek." As anything seemed better than sitting still, the other girls agreed readily to come and play. "Two can hide and four can look," said Marjorie. "Only, we'll keep on this landing." The old Manor offered a splendid field for the purpose; it was so full of cupboards and crannies and odd nooks that it was quite hard to find anybody. The dull day improved the fun, for twilight reigned in most of the passages, and rendered many hairbreadth escapes possible. Nora actually had her hand on Beryl's foot without discovering the fact; Effie crept inside a suit of armour, and baffled pursuit for ever so long; and Marjorie was almost given up, but at length was discovered crouching in a dark angle which the others had passed several times without noticing her. It was now the turn of Lindsay and Cicely to hide. They were determined to choose a specially good place, and debated the point until the latter grew impatient. "Do be quick!" she exclaimed. "They'll soon have finished counting a hundred." "I can't make up my mind whether it's better behind the tapestry or under the ottoman," deliberated Lindsay. "Cuckoo!" cried Beryl's voice. "They're coming! We've no time for either. We must get into the old box-settle." It was the only possible retreat near at hand. Already they could hear the girls' footsteps creaking along the oaken boards of the picture gallery; in another moment they would have turned into the passage, and reached the top of the stairs. Without more ado both hiders scrambled inside the settle, and pulled down the lid over their heads. It was a very tight fit indeed for two, and most uncomfortable. "Could you let me have an inch more room?" begged Cicely in an agonized whisper. "I'll try," returned Lindsay. It was difficult to stir in such narrow quarters. To move at all, she was obliged to make a vigorous heave towards her end of the chest. The effect was as unexpected as extraordinary. Lo and behold! the entire bottom of the settle seemed to give way, and without any warning the two girls were precipitated into some unknown place below. CHAPTER XVI A Surprise So sudden was their descent that Lindsay and Cicely had no time even to cry out. They evidently had not fallen far, and though for a moment they both thought they were killed, they soon found that beyond a few bruises neither was hurt. They picked themselves up in a state of bewilderment, and stared around them as if hardly realizing yet what had happened.