It is a question with psychologists how much one can dream in a second. I will answer for the eternity of nightmare I suffered during those few moments of Harry’s absence. He could hardly, in point of fact, have set foot in the further chamber when a strange little cry from him made me start violently. And immediately, as if in response, there sprang into voice near me a step, a rustle, the menace of a coming roar, and I screamed out and fled towards my friend. The crash answered behind me as I ran, and a film of dust followed. Half blinded and deafened, I almost fell at Harry’s feet as he met me. We clutched one another convulsively, and for a minute could not speak. The concussion was succeeded by an appalling silence. Presently he was staring over my shoulder, swaying his light to and fro. “Dick!” He went muttering in my ear: “Dick! Dick! Dick! the roof has fallen, down by the door, and blocked our way back!” Horror took me of a heap. I could only bite into Harry’s arm up and down with my fingers, dumbly entreating him to do something to save us from going crazy. “O, why did we come?” I moaned at last. “Why didn’t you come when I asked you?” “What good would that have been,” he said miserably, “if we’d been caught and squashed?” If he could not see the way to save, he could to make a man of me. He was the first to return to his sturdy self. It struck me like sacrilege to hear him suddenly emit a faint little laugh. “O, don’t!” I said. “It’s too awful!” “What is?” he answered. “Look here, Dick, we’re just fools, that’s all, There must be a way out somewhere--we’d forgotten what the badger showed us.” In an instant, at his words, I had leapt to the ultimate pole of hope. “O, Harry!” I said, “you good old fellow to think of it! Why, of course there must be; if only we could----” “Wait a bit!” he interrupted me. “You’ll have to make up your mind to go on.” “I’ll go anywhere,” I said, “to get safe out of this. O, don’t stop! Any moment may bring down some more of it.” I was wriggling and sweating in a perfect agony over his hesitation. “All right,” he said; “pull a long breath and prepare yourself.” “For what?” The truth came upon me in a flash. I fell back, panting at him. “_Harry! They’re there!_” He nodded. “Yes, they’re there. If you like to shut your eyes, I’ll lead you past.” But he had shamed me once. “No,” I said, with a catch in my voice. “If you stood it, so can I. Go on--quick. Are they--are they--very----” We were in the further vault before I could shape my question; and I took one glance, and shrieked, and shrunk back under the wall. And so, in the very act, at a leap the horror was gone.