Ralph hastened to the spot whence the voice came and found Captain O'Connor lying on the ground, and Lieutenant Desmond insensible beside him.
"What has happened?" Ralph exclaimed. "Have they shot you?"
"No. Hold the torch up and you will see the way we came."
The soldier did so, and Ralph looking up saw a hole in the top of the cave twenty feet above.
"You don't mean to say you came through there, O'Connor?"
"I did, worse luck to it!" O'Connor said. "The passage got steeper and steeper, and at last my foot slipped, and I shot down and came plump into the middle of a peat fire; and a moment later Desmond shot down on to the top of me. We scattered the fire all over the place, as you can imagine; but I burned my hands and face, and I believe the leg of my breeches is on fire—something is hurting me confoundedly."
"Yes, it is all smoldering!" Ralph exclaimed, putting it out with his hands.
"Have you got them all?" Captain O'Connor asked.
"Everyone; not one has made his escape. It would have fared badly with us, though, if Lieutenant Adcock had not sent down the men to our assistance. Where is your leg broken, O'Connor?"
"Above the knee," the captain said.