A strange hollow voice came into the cave from somewhere! — It ran all round the cave and Tom could just make out the words. The funny deep voice said, "Tom! Are you there?"
It was really Andy's voice, of course, coming down the hole to the cave—and the hote had made it sound deep and strange, not a bit like Andy's.
Tom trembled and said nothing. He couldn't understand this queer voice suddenly coming into the cave. So Andy spoke again.
"Tom! It's Andy speaking. Are you there?"
The voice rumbled round the cave—but this time Tom was not so scared. Could it really be Andy, somehow managing to speak to him? He answered as loudly as he dared.
"I'm here! In the Round Cave!"
Tom's voice came up to Andy, all muddled and jumbled, for Tom was not near the opening of the hole. Andy could not make out what he said, but he knew it was Tom speaking.
"Good!" he thought. "Tom's in there all right. I'll speak to him again and see if I can find out what's happened to him."
So once more Andy's voice came rumbling down into the cave. "Tom! I'm speaking down a hole that must somehow lead into your cave. See if you can find it and speak up it. I can't hear you properly. But whatever you do, don't let anyone hear you speaking to me."
Tom felt excited. Good old Andy! He got upland began to hunt around for the hole that led upwards to Andy. He must find it, he simply must!