"One can't help feeling that one must keep on and see where it goes to, even if it does make you turn creepy.
Doesn't it you ?" "Well, yes, I suppose so," replied Vince thoughtfully; "and I wouldn't go on, only it's so easy to climb back, and the air feels fresh and sweet, so that except that it's dark there's nothing to mind." "But suppose the candle went out.

How much is there left ?" As Mike spoke, he opened the door of the lanthorn and looked at the light anxiously, but they had not burned an inch.
"We could easily get another light," said Vince; "and we must go on now.
Here, shall I go down first ?" "No; I'll keep to it," cried Mike.

"I'm not going to have you jeering at me afterwards and telling me I was afraid.

But look here, Cinder: you can't walk down--it really is too steep." "Let's try the rope: I'll fasten it, and then you can hold on." "Nothing to fasten it to." "Soon get over that," said Vince; and, taking out the iron bar and the hammer, he found a crack in the rock directly, into which he drove the narrow edge till it was perfectly firm, the roof just overhead echoing the blows of the hammer so rapidly that in a short time it sounded as if a dozen smiths were at work.
"Stop a moment," cried Mike, as he held the light, and Vince began to tie the end of the rope to the strong iron peg he had formed.
"What for ?" "Suppose when we get down we want the rope for another place, what should we do if we leave it here ?" Vince took the lanthorn and held it out before him, so that he could examine the trough-like slope.
"I shouldn't like to trust myself to slide down here," he said; "but there's nothing to prevent our climbing up.

Let's double the rope and hook the middle over the bar; then, when we're down, we can pull one end and get it free." This was done, and, tying the lanthorn to his neck by means of his kerchief, Mike secured the doubled rope and let himself down, his companion soon after seeing him standing some thirty feet lower.
A minute later Vince was by his side, and they looked about them, but there was nothing fresh to see.