"Oh, no, no!" cried Noel, shrinking back.
"Why not? Well, you are a fellow! I am going down." Duke descended a few steps and was lost to sight. Noel waited in breathless suspense. He was trying hard to nerve himself to follow, when his brother reappeared.
"The steps go a long way down," he said "they are quite easy, but it's rather dark. We'll come again to-morrow and bring some bits of candle."
"Does mother know about it, do you think?" asked Noel.
"I can't tell. I dare say she does not," said Duke. "But look here, Noel, we won't say anything about it till we've been down and seen what it's like."
"But don't you think we ought to tell her?" said Noel. "Then p'raps she'd let Box go with us."
"Box!" returned Duke contemptuously. "Much good it would be to go with an old fellow like that! Really, Noel, I think you should have a nursemaid. I'll go by myself if you're afraid. Only be quiet about it for the present. Now we'll push the picture back. See how easily it goes!"
"How clever to make a picture into a door!" said Noel. "No one would guess it was that."
"No, but aren't you glad we've found it out? Now I feel as if it must be about dinner-time, so we'll go back into the house."
In the afternoon the rain ceased and the sky gradually grew clearer; but the force of the wind increased. Standing by a window, the boys could hear the roar of the waves mingling with the noise of the blast.