Before long the mouth of the tunnel was reached, and, as if by mutual consent, the three friends came to a halt.
There was something forbidding about the dark, gloomy entrance--the stale, smoky smell, and the damp dripping from the roof, all tending to give it a very uninviting aspect.
"It's awfully long," said Mugford; "don't you think we'd better turn back ?" In their secret hearts his two companions were more than half inclined to follow this suggestion; but there is a form of cowardice to which even the bravest are subject--namely, the fear of being thought afraid-- and it was this, perhaps, which decided them to advance instead of retreat.
"Oh no, we won't go back," cried Diggory.

"Come along; I'll go first." And so saying, he plunged forward into the deep shadow of the archway.
The ground seemed to be plentifully strewn with ashes, which scrunched under their feet as they plodded along, and their voices sounded hollow and strange.
"My eye," said Jack, "it's precious dark.

I can hardly see where I'm going." "It'll be darker still before we see the end," answered Diggory.

"Some one was telling me the other day that there's a curve in the middle." "Hadn't we better go back ?" faltered Mugford.
"No, you fathead; shut up." The darkness seemed to increase, and the silence grew oppressive.
The boys were walking in single file, Diggory leading, and Jack Vance bringing up the rear.
"I say," exclaimed the latter, as he stumbled over a sleeper, "I shouldn't like to be caught here by a train." "That can't happen," retorted Diggory; "didn't you hear the man say there wasn't another till 5.47 ?" "Yes," added Mugford; "but there might be a luggage, or one coming the other way." "Well, all you'd have to do would be to cross over on to the other line." Imperceptibly the boys quickened their pace until it became almost a trot.
"Hurrah!" cried Diggory, a few moments later, as a far-distant semicircle of daylight came into view.

"There's the other end." "Stop a minute," cried Jack, emboldened by the prospect of soon being once more in the fresh air; "let's see if we can make an echo." The little party halted for a moment, but instead of hearing the shrill yell for the production of which Jack had just filled his lungs, their ears were greeted with a far more terrible sound, which caused their hearts to stop beating.