“Why! man, don’t you see! this is what we have wanted all along.”
“What is? Speak out, man dear! We are all in ignorance!” Dick laid his hand impressively on the rock:—
“Limestone! There is a streak of it here, right through the mountain—and, moreover, look! look!—this is not all nature’s work—these rocks have been cut in places by the hands of men!” We all got very excited, and hurried up the chine; but the rocks now joined over our heads, and all was dark beyond, and the chine became a cave.
“Has anyone a match—we must have a light of some kind here,” said Joyce.
“There is the lantern in the house. I shall run for it. Don’t stir until I get back,” I cried; and I ran out and climbed the side of the ravine, and got to Joyce’s house as soon as I could. My haste and impetuosity frightened Miss Joyce, who called in terror:—
“Is there anything wrong—not an accident I hope?”
“No! no! we only want to examine a rock, and the place is dark. Give us the lantern quick, and some matches.”
“Aisy! aisy, alanna!” she said. “The rock won’t run away!”
I took the lantern and matches and ran back. When we had lit the lantern, Norah suggested that we should be very careful, as there might be foul air about. Dick laughed at the idea.
“No foul air here, Norah; it was full of water a few hours ago,” and taking the lantern, he went into the narrow opening. We all followed, Norah clinging tightly to me. The cave widened as we entered, and we stood in a moderate sized cavern, partly natural and partly hollowed out by rough tools. Here and there, were inscriptions in strange character, formed by straight vertical lines something like the old telegraph signs, but placed differently.