I thought this, but Corny spoke it right out—at least, what she said amounted to pretty much the same thing.
"Well," said her mother, "we might go around there once more, especially as your father has never seen the queen at all. Mr. Chipperton, would you like to see the African queen?"
Mr. Chipperton did not answer, and his wife turned around quickly. She had been walking ahead with the Chicago lady.
"Why, where is he?" she exclaimed. We all stopped and looked about, but couldn't see him. He wasn't there. We were part way down the hill, but not far from the fort, and we stopped and looked back, and then Corny called him. I said that I would run back for him, as he had probably stopped to talk with the shoemaker. Rectus and I both ran back, and Corny came with us. The shoemaker had put his bench in its place over the trap-door, and was again at work. But Mr. Chipperton was not talking to him.
"I'll tell you what I believe,"—said Corny, gasping.
But it was of no use to wait to hear what she believed. I believed it myself.
"Hello!" I cried to the shoemaker before I reached him. "Did a gentleman stay behind here?"
"I didn't see none," said the man, looking up in surprise, as we charged on him.
"Then," I cried, "he's shut down in that well! Jump up and open the door!"
The shoemaker did jump up, and we helped him move the bench, and had the trap-door open in no time. By this, the rest of the party had come back, and when Mrs. Chipperton saw the well open and no Mr. Chipperton about, she turned as white as a sheet. We could hardly wait for the man to light his lamp, and as soon as he started down the winding stairs, Rectus and I followed him. I called back to Mrs. Chipperton and the others that they need not come; we would be back in a minute and let them know. But it was of no use; they all came. We hurried on after the man with the light, and passed straight ahead through the narrow passage to the very end of it.