Crown and Sceptre Part 33

They dropped down, and found that by the time they had reached the end of the portion illumined by the light which came down the hole, faint rays were there to meet them from the other end, the light striking in strongly from the bottom of the walled-up entrance, and showing that the floor which they had to follow was damp, but every drop of water had drained away.

On reaching the end, it was quite light; and a little examination proved that other stones at the bottom were sufficiently loose to be easily pushed out, Fred sending out a couple, which went down into deep water at once.

"I wouldn't have done that," said Scarlett. "It's like opening a way for any one right into our house."

"But any one will not know the way," replied Fred, as he went down on hands and knees, and thrust out his head and shoulders. "Easy enough to get out now," he said, as he thrust the bushes aside, "only we should want the boat. Water's quite deep here. Stop a moment!" he cried excitedly, as he twisted himself round and looked up before drawing his head back. "Why, Scar, we could climb up or down there as easily as could be."

"Could we?"

Scarlett crept partly out in turn, and looked up for a minute or two.

"Yes," he said, as he returned, "that would be easy enough."

"Then, do you know what we have to do next?"

"No."

"Go and stop up the big hole in the wood."

Scarlett thought for a moment, and then agreed, following his companion to the opening, and climbing out in turn.

"How shall we do it?" he said.

"The rougher the better," cried Fred, who was by far the more practical of the two. "Let's get great dead branches, and lay them over anyhow, leaving a hole like a chimney, so as to give light. Come along; I'll show you. The more natural the better, in case any one should come here."

"Which is not likely," replied Scarlett.

"I don't know; Nat might. Work away."

They did work away, and with good effect. They had no difficulty in getting plenty of rough pieces, which they laid across, first like the rafters over a shed, and then piled others upon them in the most careless-looking fashion, after which some long strands of ivy and bramble were dragged across, to act the double purpose of binding all together and looking natural.

"But they seem as if they had been just placed there," said Scarlett, looking rather dissatisfied with their work.

"Of course they do to-day; but before a week has gone by, they'll have all their leaves turned up to the light, and go on growing fast. Now, then, who could tell that there was a way down there?"

Scarlett was fain to confess that the concealment would be perfect as soon as the leaves were right, and a shower of rain had removed their tracks.

"And we shall not want to come here at all now, only get in by the proper way. I wish that hole was not broken through."

"We should not have found it without."

"Oh yes, we should," said Fred; "because some day we should have brought candles, and waded down to the mouth."

"Well," said Scarlett, as they strolled away at last, "what's the good of it all, now we have found it out?"

"It doesn't seem quite so much now we have found everything; but still it is interesting, and it will do to hide in when we want to get away from everybody."

"But we never do."

"No," said Fred. "But never mind; there's no knowing of what use it may be, and it's our secret, isn't it?"

"Oh yes, it's our secret, Fred."

"And how we could scare the servants now, by hiding and groaning."

"Till my father examined and found it all out. I shouldn't like to look him in the face when he did."

"No," said Fred; "it wouldn't be nice. I say, what stupids we should look!"

"Did you get up so early on purpose to come over here yesterday?" said Scarlett, suddenly.

"No. I was woke up by hearing Captain Miles go."

"Captain Miles? Who is he?"

"I don't know; an old fellow-officer of my father, I think. I say, Scarlett, I'm to be a soldier."

Scarlett laughed, and his companion felt nettled.

"Well," he said, "I shall grow older and stronger some day."

"Why, you couldn't pull a sword right out of its sheath," said Scarlett.

"Couldn't I? Let's go into the house and try."

"Come along, then," cried Scarlett; and the two lads ran right into the Hall, where Fred seized an old weapon from one of the suits of armour, and proved his ability by drawing it from the sheath, Scarlett following his example.

"Now, then!" cried Fred; "_en garde_!"

Nothing loth, Scarlett crossed swords with him, just as his father came thoughtfully out of the library, and stopped to watch them.

"I say, this old sword is heavy though," said Fred, as the point of the long blade seemed attracted toward the ground.

"It's because you haven't muscle enough," replied Scarlett, as the blades grated together. "Wonder whether this one ever cut off a man's head?"

"Is this an omen?" said Sir G.o.dfrey to himself. "Friend against friend, perhaps brother against brother, all through our unhappy land. Well, Heaven's will be done! My duty is to my king."

Meanwhile, the two boys were laughingly making a few cuts and guards with the clumsy old weapons; but directly after they started apart in confusion, as Sir G.o.dfrey said aloud--

"Boys, do you remember the words of Scripture!"

Neither answered; but, with the points of the swords resting on the old oak floor, they stared at him abashed.

"'They that take the sword shall perish with the sword.'"

There was silence in the grand old hall for a brief s.p.a.ce, as the two boys stood there in the centre, with the bright lights from the stained-gla.s.s windows showering down upon them, and the portraits of Scarlett's warlike ancestors seeming to be watching intently all that was taking place.

Then Sir G.o.dfrey moved slowly across the hall, paused and looked back, and then said gently--