Here Dummy seated himself, with his legs swinging over the edge, and looked down.
"That's where the river water comes in," he said, "through a big crack.
Now let's see where it goes, because it must go somewhere." "Right into the middle of the earth, perhaps," said Mark, gazing down into the awful gulf, and listening to the rushing sound.
"Nay," said Dummy; "water don't go down into the earth without coming out again somewhere.

Dessay if we keep on we shall come out to daylight." "Eh ?" cried Mark; "then we had better find it and stop it up, for as I said the other day, we don't want any one to find a back way into our mine." "That's what I thought, Master Mark," said Dummy quietly.

"Wouldn't do for Purlrose and his men to find it, and come in some day, would it ?" "No; that wouldn't do at all, Dummy." "No, sir.

But how's your head ?" "My head?
Oh, I'd forgotten all about it." "I know'd you would," said the lad, grinning.

"Don't feel so tired, neither ?" "No." "Then I'll light another candle, and we'll get on: but don't you get slipping while we are going round here, because I don't know how deep it is, and I mightn't be able to get you out." "You take care of yourself, and lead on," said Mark shortly.