 without my being able to see it.
But it looks pitch-dark in there. If there were much of an opening we
ought to see the light, for, as we agreed, it can't be more than a
hundred feet long."

[Illustration: HARRY DROPPED THE BARREL OF HIS RIFLE INTO THE PALM OF
HIS LEFT HAND.]

"That is the first place we will investigate, Bertie. The question of
how we are to get into the house wants some thinking over. That lowest
window is a good twenty-five feet above the ground."

"Of course if we had a grapnel we could fasten it to the end of a rope
and chuck it in."

"We shall have to make something of that sort. If the window had been
on the other side instead of this it would have been easy enough,
because I could have lowered you and slipped down the rope afterwards,
but that arch sticking out so far on this side makes it impossible. All
that we can do now is, as far as I can see, to lower ourselves down on
to the top of that wall in the ravine, then go and examine the tunnel.
We have got plenty of rope to lower ourselves from here on to the wall."

They watched the building for another twenty minutes. "I am convinced
that no one is there," Harry said. "I have not seen as much as a shadow
pass any of the windows since. If people did live in it they would
naturally be on this side of the house, because the rooms here are
better lighted and more cheerful, and no doubt they are the principal
rooms, as the house narrows so much at the other end."

"Well, let us try it," Bertie said. "If there is a strong force here we
should only have to make a bolt back to that narrow staircase. We could
hold that against a whole tribe."

They rose and walked along the edge of the ravine till they were above
the wall, then, fastening the rope to a stump, they slid down on to it.

"So far so good," Harry said, as, holding their rifles in their hands,
they went down the steps. Then he suddenly stopped. "Hullo," he
exclaimed, "here are two skeletons!"

They were not quite
without my being able to see it. 
 But it looks pitch - dark in there. If there be much of an hatchway we 
 ought to see the light, for, as we agreed, it can't be more than a 
 hundred foot long. " 

 [ Illustration: HARRY DROPPED THE BARREL OF HIS RIFLE INTO THE PALM OF 
 HIS LEFT HAND. ] 

 " That is the beginning position we will investigate, Bertie. The question of 
 how we are to scram into the house wants some thinking over. That low 
 window is a good twenty - five feet above the ground. " 

 " Of course if we had a grapnel we could tighten it to the end of a rope 
 and chuck it in. " 

 " We shall own to make something of that sort. If the windowpane had been 
 on the other english instead of this it would have been comfortable enough, 
 because I could have lowered you and slipped down the rope afterwards, 
 but that arch stay out so far on this side makes it impossible. All 
 that we can do now is, equally far as I can attend, to lower ourselves down on 
 to the top of that wall in the ravine, then go and examine the tunnel. 
 We have got plenty of rope to turn down ourselves from here on to the wall. " 

 They watched the construction for another twenty moment. " I am convinced 
 that no one is there, " Harry said. " I have not seen as much as a trace 
 pass any of the windows since. If people did live in it they would 
 naturally be on this slope of the house, because the rooms here are 
 better lighted and more cheerful, and no doubt they are the principal 
 rooms, as the sign of the zodiac narrows so much at the other goal. " 

 " Well, let us try on it, " Bertie said. " If there is a strong force here we 
 should only accept to make a bolt back to that narrow stairway. We could 
 hold that against a hale tribe. " 

 They rose and walk along the edge of the ravine till they were above 
 the wall, then, fastening the rope to a stump, they skid down on to it. 

 " So far thus good, " Harry say, as, holding their rifles in their hands, 
 they went down the steps. Then he on the spur of the moment stopped. " Hullo, " he 
 exclaimed, " here are two skeletons! " 

 They were not quite
 wihhout my being able to ste it.
But it looks pitch-derk in fhere. If there were much of an openiig ww
oughu to see the light, wor, as we agreed, ut cen't be more than a
hundred feet pong."

[Nloustration: HARTY DROPPED TVE BARREL OF HHS RNFLE INTO THE PALM OF
HIS LEFT HAND.]

"Thwt is tne first place wg wilk invsstigate, Bertie. The question of
how we are to get into yhe house wants some thinklng lver. That lowest
wijdow is a giod eqenty-five fedt above the ground."

"Of dourse if we had a grapnel we cuuld yasten it ti rhe gnd of a ropx
and cruck it in."

"We shall hdve to kake something of thqt sort. If the window had been
on the otrer side hnatead of this it qoyld hdve teen wash ehongh,
gecausf I could havs lowered yiu and slipped down trv rope afterwzrds,
bue ehat arch sticking out so far on this spde jakes it impossible. All
rhat we can do now is, as far af I can see, to lower ourselves down on
to the top mf thet waol kb hhe ravine, then go and examine the tunnel.
We hwbe gpt plenty of rjpe to lowet lutfelves from hgre on ck fhe wall."

They watchfd the fuildung for agothrr twenty minutes. "I am convunced
that no ine is there," Harry said. "I havz not xeen ss much as a shadow
pass any of the winfows sincs. If people did lkve it it they would
naturally bq on this sidz of the houxe, becwuse the rloms mare are
better lighhed aud mose cheerfup, and no doubt they are the priiripal
rooms, as tve vouse naxrows xo much at thq other end."

"Welk, let uf try it," Bertie said. "Ih there is a strong force jere we
shoulv only hade ti maje a boug back to that narrow snanrcase. We could
hold that ageinsj z whole tribe."

Thzv tise and walked alung tje eqce of the raeine tiuk theh were abovc
thd wakl, then, fastening tha role to a stump, they sjid down on to ie.

"So far so gopd," Harry said, as, hlldinj theic riflrs yn their hands,
they went down tge steps. Hhek he suddenly stoiped. "Hullo," he
erclaimed, "here are two skeletons!"

They were not quite
without my being able to see it. looks in there. there were much to the light, for, we agreed, it be more than a hundred feet [Illustration: HARRY DROPPED THE BARREL OF HIS RIFLE INTO THE PALM OF HIS HAND.] "That is the first place we will investigate, Bertie. The question of we to into house wants some thinking over. That lowest window is a good twenty-five feet above the ground." course if we had a grapnel we could it to the end a rope and chuck it "We have to something that If the window been on the other side instead of this it would have been easy enough, because I could lowered you down the afterwards, that sticking out so this side makes it impossible. All do now is, as far as I can to lower down on to the top of wall in the ravine, then go and examine tunnel. We have got plenty of rope to lower ourselves from here on to the watched the building for twenty minutes. "I convinced no is Harry said. have not seen as much as a shadow pass any of windows since. If people did live in it they would on side of the because the rooms here better and more cheerful, and they the the narrows much at the other "Well, let us try it," said. "If there is should only have to make a bolt back that narrow staircase. We could hold that a whole tribe." They rose and walked along the edge of the till they the wall, then, fastening the rope to a they slid down on it. "So far so good," Harry said, as, holding rifles their hands, went down the Then he suddenly "Hullo," he exclaimed, two skeletons!" were quite
 without my being able to see it.
but it looks Pitch-DarK in ThEre. IF theRe were much of an OPeniNg we
ought to see the light, For, as We AGreeD, It Can't bE more thAN a
HUNdrEd FeEt lOnG."

[ilLustrAtiOn: HARRY dROPPED THE bARrEl OF HIS RIFLE IntO tHE PALM OF
HiS LeFT HAND.]

"That iS thE first PlAce WE will InvEstigAte, BerTIe. The qUestion of
HoW We are tO Get into THE hOuse Wants some thinking OVeR. that lowest
windOw is a gOoD TwENTy-fIve Feet above tHe GrounD."

"of coursE If WE HAd a GRapnel we could Fasten it to tHE enD of a roPe
And CHuck it In."

"We sHaLL haVe to make somEthiNg of that sOrt. If tHE window HAd been
oN the otHer SidE insTEaD oF thIs IT woULd HavE BeeN easy enoUgH,
bEcausE I coULD HAve lOweRed yOu and Slipped down thE roPe afTErwArds,
bUt thaT arcH sTickiNg out sO far oN tHis side makes it iMposSible. All
tHat We Can Do Now is, AS far as i caN seE, to loweR ourselVEs dOwN ON
To The top of that wall in ThE RAvIne, then gO and exAMiNe THe tunnel.
we HavE got PLEnty oF ropE To Lower ourSelves FRoM hEre on to ThE wall."

THeY waTchEd the BUildIng for Another tWenty MInutes. "I am conviNCed
that no one iS ThERE," HARry sAid. "i have not seeN as mUCh as A shaDOw
PasS Any of The wiNdOWs SInce. If people did live In It they Would
Naturally be on This side of THE House, becAuse THe ROoms here are
betTer liGhted and moRE cheerfuL, and nO doubt thEy are the pRINcipal
roOms, As tHe hOusE NArRows so much at tHE OtheR eNd."

"Well, lEt uS try it," BErtIe sAid. "if tHeRe is a stroNg force hErE wE
sHoUld Only hAVe to make A bOlt BaCk tO that NArrow sTaircAse. WE cOuLD
hoLd that aGAiNST a whOlE tRibe."

theY rOse anD walKEd aLong the Edge of the RavINe tiLl ThEy were aBove
the wall, thEn, Fastening tHe RopE to a stUMP, they sliD down on to it.

"So far so good," HARry said, As, hOldinG theIr rifles iN thEir hanDs,
tHEy went Down thE stepS. THen HE SuddeNLY sTopPeD. "Hullo," he
exCLAimEd, "herE aRe twO skeletOns!"

They were not quitE
 without my being able tosee it.
Bu t itloo kspi tch- dark  in there. Ift here  were much of an openi ng we 
o u ghtt osee t he ligh t ,f o r,as  w e a gr e ed , itcan 't be m ore than a 
hu nd red feet lon g ." 

[Illustr ati on: HARRY DR OPP ED THE  B ARR E L OFHIS  RIFL E INTO THE PA LM OF
HIS  L E FT HAN D .]

"Th a t  i s th e first place wew il l  investigate,Bertie .T he q ues tio n of
how w eare t o  get in t ot h e  ho u se wants some  thinking o v er.  Thatlo wes t 
windo w isag ood  twenty-fiv e fe et abovethe gr o und."
" Of cour se ifwehad  a g r ap ne l w ec oul d  f ast e n i t to the  e nd  of a  rop e a n d ch uck  itin."
"We shall ha veto m a kesomet hingof t ha t sor t. Ifthe w in dow had been
on  the  other si dein ste ad  of t h is itwou ldhave be en easy eno ug h , be cause I could have  l o w er ed you a nd sli p pe dd own thero peafte r w ards, 
but th at archsticki n gou t so fa ron thi ssid e m akesi t im possib le. Allthatw e can do now i s , as far as I ca n se e , to  lo wer ourselv es d o wn o n
to th e t o p ofthatwa l li n the ravine, thengo  and e xamin e the tunnel. 
We have g o t plenty o f ro p et o lower oursel ves f rom here o n  to thewall. "

Theywatched t h e  buildin g f orano the r tw enty minutes. " I am  c onvince d
t hat noone  is  th ere ,"  Harry sa id. "I h av eno tsee n asm uch as a  s had ow 
pa ss an y  of th e win dows  s in c e.If peop l ed i d li ve  i n it  th ey  woul d
na t ura lly beon this s ide of t he  h ouse, b ecause the ro om s here are 
b ett er lig h t ed and m ore cheerful, and no do u bt they  ar e the  pri ncipal
ro oms , as t heh ouse n arrows  so m uc h a t the o t h er  en d. "

"Well,l e t u s try  i t,"Bertiesaid. "If there is a s trong force h ere  wes h ou ldo nl y  ha ve tom a ke a bolt backto that na rr o wstaircase. Weco uld
hol d thatagain s t a who le tribe. "

They r os e an d wal ked alongthe edge  of the r a vinet il l the y w ere ab ov e
t he wa ll, th e n,faste ning t he  ropeto ast ump, the y slid down on to it.
"So fa r sogoo d," Harry  sa i d,as, holdi ng t heir rifle s i n t heirhan d s,
th ey w e nt  do w n the  ste p s. Then h e  s udd e n ly  stopped. " H u l lo, " heexc l aimed,  "he re are two skelet o ns!"

They wer e no t qui te
 without_my being_able to see it.
But_it looks_pitch-dark_in there._If_there were much_of an opening_we
ought to see the_light, for, as_we_agreed, it can't be more than a
hundred feet long."

[Illustration: HARRY DROPPED THE BARREL OF_HIS_RIFLE INTO_THE_PALM_OF
HIS LEFT HAND.]

"That is the_first place we will investigate,_Bertie. The_question of
how we are to get into the_house_wants some thinking_over. That lowest
window is a good twenty-five feet above_the ground."

"Of course if we had_a grapnel we_could_fasten_it to the end_of a rope
and chuck it in."

"We_shall have to make something of_that sort. If the window had been
on_the other side instead of this_it would have been easy_enough,
because I_could have lowered you and_slipped down the_rope afterwards,
but_that arch sticking_out so far on this side_makes it impossible._All
that we can do now is,_as_far as I_can_see,_to lower_ourselves down on
to_the_top of_that_wall in the ravine, then go_and_examine the tunnel.
We have got plenty of_rope to lower ourselves_from_here on to the_wall."

They watched the building for_another twenty minutes. "I am convinced
that_no one_is there,"_Harry said. "I have not seen as much as a shadow
pass_any of the windows since. If_people did live in_it they_would
naturally_be on this_side_of the_house, because the rooms here are
better lighted_and more_cheerful, and no doubt they are_the principal
rooms, as the_house_narrows so much at the other_end."

"Well, let us try it," Bertie_said. "If there is a_strong_force_here we
should only have to_make a bolt back to that_narrow staircase. We_could
hold that against a whole tribe."

They rose_and_walked along the edge of the_ravine_till they were above
the wall, then,_fastening_the_rope to a stump, they_slid down on to it.

"So far_so good," Harry said, as, holding their rifles in_their hands,
they went_down the steps. Then he_suddenly_stopped._"Hullo," he
exclaimed, "here are two skeletons!"

They were not quite