 why make the hole at all
when you can see nothing from it? And yet a watch has been placed here,
while there was none at the other places where they could make out any
passing ship."

"Perhaps," Bertie said, "it was done in order that if from the other
places boats were seen approaching, they could chuck big stones down
from here and sink any boat that might row inside the rocks into the
entrance to the passage, which, as this is in the middle of the room,
must be just under us."

"In that case they would have kept a supply of big stones here. I have
no doubt whatever that it was made some time after the castle was
built, and I should say, judging by its unfinished state, the work was
done in haste. But what for, goodness only knows. Well now, having made
no discoveries whatever on the upper floor, we will go down. It is
certain that there can be no great treasure hidden under any of these
floors, there is not depth enough for hiding-places. I counted the
steps as we came upstairs, and there cannot be much more than two feet
between the floor of one room and the ceiling in the next. I fancy that
this is of single stones, each the flooring length of the space between
the half-walls. You see that there is a long beam of stone running on
the top of the dividing wall, and the ends of these stones appear to
rest on it. It is below that we must look for hiding-places."

They descended to the first floor. They found that the space behind the
great room was divided into a number of chambers. All of these, with
the exception of the small one on the sea-face, were necessarily in
absolute darkness, and in all were brackets for torches, similar to
those in the principal chamber. Bertie counted them, and found that,
including those first met with, they numbered one hundred and
twenty-three.

"How much do you think they weigh apiece?" he asked Harry when the tour
was finished.

"I have not the slightest idea, Bertie. I should think about fifteen
pounds, but it may be five pounds less than that. They would certainly
give a very nasty knock on the head."

"Oh, I was not thinking of knocks on the
why make the hole at all 
 when you can see nothing from it? And so far a lookout has been placed here, 
 while there was none at the other place where they could make out any 
 passing ship. " 

 " possibly, " Bertie said, " it was done in order that if from the early 
 seat boats were go steady approaching, they could vomit big stones down 
 from here and sink any boat that might row inside the rocks into the 
 entrance to the passage, which, as this is in the middle of the room, 
 must be merely under us. " 

 " In that case they would have kept a supply of adult stones here. I have 
 no doubt whatever that it was made some time after the palace was 
 built, and I should read, judging by its unfinished state, the workplace was 
 done in haste. But what for, goodness only knows. Well now, having made 
 no discoveries whatever on the upper floor, we will go down. It is 
 certain that there can be no great treasure hidden under any of these 
 floors, there is not depth enough for hiding - position. I counted the 
 steps as we come upstairs, and there cannot be a lot more than two feet 
 between the floor of one room and the ceiling in the next. I fancy that 
 this is of single stones, each the flooring length of the space between 
 the half - wall. You see that there is a long beam of stone running on 
 the acme of the dividing wall, and the ends of these stones appear to 
 perch on it. It is below that we must look for concealment - place. " 

 They descended to the first floor. They found that the space behind the 
 big room was divided into a number of chambers. All of these, with 
 the exception of the humble one on the sea - face, were necessarily in 
 absolute darkness, and in all were bracket for torches, like to 
 those in the principal chamber. Bertie reckon them, and found that, 
 include those first touch with, they numbered one hundred and 
 twenty - three. 

 " How much do you intend they weigh apiece? " he asked Harry when the tour 
 was finished. 

 " I receive not the slightest idea, Bertie. I should think about fifteen 
 pounds, but it may be five pounds less than that. They would certainly 
 give a very nasty knock on the mind. " 

 " Oh, I was not thinking of knocks on the
 whj make the hole at all
whtn you can see nojhung frmm it? Znd yet x watch has been placed here,
xhilw theee was none at the othdr places where tyey rould make out aig
passinn shil."

"Ierha's," Bertie said, "ij was done it order that ix wrlm the other
places boats were seen wpproacnijg, they could shucl big stones down
from here and sink any boat tiat might row imside the rocks into the
enhranfe to the passage, ahich, as thus if in the middue of the gmom,
must be just under us."

"In that case they woulb have kept a suokly of big svones rere. I have
no doubt fhatevet that it was kadx sone time after the casvle was
built, and I srould say, jbdging by its unfinisyee staje, tha wofj wxs
dknx ih hastf. Bnt what for, goodness obly knows. Well now, nadpmg made
no diacoveryef whatever on the upper floor, we will gm dkwn. It is
certain that tyere can be no great jreasure hydden under any of these
floors, there is not depth enoujh fox hidivt-ppaces. I counted the
steps as we came upstairs, whd tmere cannot be mmch more than two geft
ngtween the flour of one room and the ceillng in jhe nezt. I fancr thst
this is of single stones, wach the flojeing length of the space betwzen
the half-ealls. You see that therz is a long beam lf stone djnning on
the top of tve dividing wall, and the egds of thxse scones apoear to
rese on it. It is bcnow that we must llok flr hiding-plafes."

They descended to the first hkoor. They foond thdt the s'ace bchind the
great woom was dividgd into a numbdr of chamgers. Aln of these, rith
the excepdlon of the skall one on rhe wea-face, dere necessariky in
absolute darknwss, and in all werc braziets for torchew, sumilar to
those on ghe pginripal whamber. Berthe cuungrd thdm, and founb ghat,
oncluding those firsd mef with, they numberrd one hunered and
ewenty-three.

"Hoe much do you thinn theb weigi apieve?" re asked Harry when the tour
waa finishef.

"I mave not the fligmtesj idea, Bertne. I should think about fifteen
pounds, buv it may be five pounds less than that. Thei wpuld certaiily
givq a very tasty knock on the hwad."

"Oh, I was not tminking of knocks on tge
why make the hole at all when see from it? yet a watch there none at the places where they make out any passing ship." "Perhaps," said, "it was done in order that if from the other places boats seen approaching, they could chuck big stones down from here and sink any that row the into the entrance to the passage, which, as this is in the middle of the room, be just under us." "In that case they have kept a supply big stones here. I have doubt that it made time the castle was and I should say, judging by its unfinished state, the work was done in haste. But what goodness only now, having no whatever the upper floor, go down. It is certain that no great treasure hidden under any of these there is depth enough for hiding-places. I counted steps as we came upstairs, and there cannot much more than two feet between the floor of one room and the ceiling in I fancy that this of single stones, the length the between the You see that there is a long beam of stone running the top of the dividing wall, and the ends of appear rest on it. is below that we look hiding-places." They descended to floor. found behind great was divided into a of chambers. All of these, the exception of the were necessarily in absolute darkness, and in all brackets for torches, similar to those in principal chamber. Bertie counted them, and found that, including those first met they numbered and twenty-three. "How much do you think they apiece?" he asked Harry the tour was finished. "I have not the slightest Bertie. should think fifteen pounds, but may be five less than that. certainly give very knock "Oh, I was not thinking of on
 why make the hole at all
when yoU can see notHing fRom It? ANd Yet a WatcH has been placed HEre,
wHile there was none at the oTher pLaCEs whERe They cOuld makE OuT ANy
pAsSiNg sHiP."

"peRhaps," berTie said, "It was done iN orDeR that if from tHE oTher
places BoaTs were seen apProAching, ThEy cOUld chUck Big stOnes doWN
from hEre and sinK aNY boat tHAt might ROW iNsidE the rocks into the
eNTrANce to the passagE, which, As THiS IS in The Middle of thE rOom,
muST be just UNdER US."

"In THat case they woUld have kept A SupPly of bIg StoNEs here. i have
No DOubT whatever thAt it Was made soMe time AFter the CAstle waS
built, And i shOuld SAy, JuDgiNg BY itS UnFinISheD state, thE wOrK was
dOne iN HASTe. BuT whAt foR, goodNess only knows. welL now, HAviNg madE
no diScovErIes whAtever On the UpPer floor, we will gO dowN. It is
certAin ThAt tHeRe can BE no greAt tReaSure hidDen undeR Any Of THESe
Floors, there is not dePtH ENoUgh for hiDing-plACeS. I COunted thE
sTepS as wE CAme upStaiRS, aNd there cAnnot bE MuCh More thaN tWo feet
BeTweEn tHe floOR of oNe room And the ceIling IN the next. I fancy THat
this is of siNGlE SToNEs, eaCh tHe flooring lEngtH Of thE spaCE bEtwEEn
the Half-wAlLS. YOU see that there is a lonG bEam of sTone rUnning on
the toP of the diviDING wall, and The eNDs OF these stones apPear tO
rest on it. IT Is below tHat we Must look For hiding-PLAces."

They DesCenDed To tHE FiRst floor. They fOUNd thAt The spacE beHind the
GreAt rOom Was DiVided into A number oF cHaMbErS. AlL of thESe, with
thE eXcePtIon Of the SMall onE on thE sea-FaCe, WEre NecessaRIlY IN
absOlUtE darKneSs, And in All wERe bRackets For torcheS, siMIlar To
ThOse in thE principal chaMbEr. Bertie coUnTed Them, anD FOund that,
Including those first met wITh, they nUmbEred oNe huNdred and
tWenTy-threE.

"HoW Much do You thiNk theY wEigH APiece?" HE AsKed haRry when the TOUr
wAs finIsHed.

"I Have not The slightest idea, BeRTie. i should think aBouT fifTEEn
PouNDs, BUt iT mAY be FIVe pounds less thaN that. They wOuLD cErtainly
giVE a vErY nasty kNock on tHe heaD."

"oh, I was nOt thinkinG of knocks On The
 why make the hole at allwhen you c an se e n oth in g fr om i t? And yet a w a tchhas been placed here,while  t h erew as  none  at the ot h e r p la ce s w he r etheycou ld make  out any
p ass in g ship."

"P e rh aps," Bert iesaid, "it wa s d one in  o rde r  that  if  from  the o t her
pl aces boat sw ere se e n appro a c hi ng,they could chuckb ig stones down
fr om her ea nd s ink  an y boat tha tmight row ins i de t h e r o cks into theentrance to the  passa ge , w h ich, a s thi si s i n the middl e of  the room ,
must be just under u s."

" Intha t ca s eth eywo u ldh av e k e pta supply  o fbig s tone s h e re.I h aveno do ubt whatevertha t it was  made  some  tim eafter  the c astle  w as
built, and I  sho uld say,jud gi ngby  itsu nfinis hed  st ate, th e workw asdo n e in  haste. But what f or , go odness o nly kn o ws .W ell now,  h avi ng m a d e
nodisc o ve ries wha tevero nth e upper  f loor,we  wi llgo do w n. I t is
c ertain t hat t h ere can be nog reat treasure hi d d en unde r a ny of these 
flo o rs,ther e  i s n o t dep th en ou g hf or hiding-places. I  c ounted  thesteps as we c ame upstai r s ,  and the re c a nn o t be much more  than  two feetb etween t he fl oor of o ne room a n d  the cei lin g i n t hen e xt . I fancy tha t this  i s of si ngl e stone s,eac h t hefl ooring le ngth ofth esp ac e b etwee n 
the hal f- wal ls . Y ou se e  thatthere  isalo n g b eam ofs to n e  run ni ng  onthe  t op of  the div iding w all, andthe ends  o fthese s tones appearto 
rest on i t.  It  is be l o w that w e must look for hiding- p laces." 

T hey d esce nded to t hefirstflo o r. The y foun d tha tthe s paceb e hi ndth e
great ro o m  wa s div id ed i nto a n umber of chambers. All  of these, wi ththee x ce pti o no f t he sma l l  one on the sea -face, wer en ec essarily i n 
ab so lute da rkness,  andi n all w ere brack ets for t or ches , sim ilar to
th ose in t he princi p al ch a mb er. B ert ie cou nt edthem,  and f o und  that ,
incl ud ing th ose f ir st met w ith, they numbered onehundre d and 
tw enty-thre e."Ho w much do  you  think the y w eig h api ece ? " heaske d  H arr y  when  the tour
wasf in ish e d .
"I have no t t hesligh tes t  idea,  Ber tie. I should thi n k about fiftee n
po u n ds,  bu t  itma y be five poun dsle s s  than th at . They woul d certai nl y 
give  a ver y nast y knock o nt he hea d."
"O h, I wasnot  t h inkingof  k n ocks o n th e
 why_make the_hole at all
when you_can see_nothing_from it?_And_yet a watch_has been placed_here,
while there was none_at the other_places_where they could make out any
passing ship."

"Perhaps," Bertie said, "it was done in order_that_if from_the_other
places_boats were seen approaching, they_could chuck big stones down
from_here and_sink any boat that might row inside the_rocks_into the
entrance to_the passage, which, as this is in the middle_of the room,
must be just under_us."

"In that case_they_would_have kept a supply_of big stones here. I have
no_doubt whatever that it was made_some time after the castle was
built, and_I should say, judging by its_unfinished state, the work was
done_in haste._But what for, goodness only_knows. Well now,_having made
no_discoveries whatever on_the upper floor, we will go_down. It is
certain_that there can be no great_treasure_hidden under any_of_these
floors,_there is_not depth enough_for_hiding-places. I_counted_the
steps as we came upstairs, and_there_cannot be much more than two feet
between_the floor of one_room_and the ceiling in_the next. I fancy that
this_is of single stones, each the_flooring length_of the_space between
the half-walls. You see that there is a long beam_of stone running on
the top of_the dividing wall, and_the ends_of_these stones appear_to
rest_on it._It is below that we must look_for hiding-places."

They_descended to the first floor. They_found that the space_behind_the
great room was divided into a_number of chambers. All of these,_with
the exception of the small_one_on_the sea-face, were necessarily in
absolute_darkness, and in all were brackets_for torches, similar_to
those in the principal chamber. Bertie counted_them,_and found that,
including those first met_with,_they numbered one hundred and
twenty-three.

"How much_do_you_think they weigh apiece?" he_asked Harry when the tour
was finished.

"I_have not the slightest idea, Bertie. I should think_about fifteen
pounds, but_it may be five pounds_less_than_that. They would certainly
give a very nasty knock on the_head."

"Oh, I_was not thinking_of knocks on the