"Look here, boys," he announced. "This passage splits. One goes straight ahead and the other turns to the left. I fancy that one runs back toward the rising ground at the rear of the castle."
"Then we don't want to take that," decided Harry.
"If we go straight ahead," Ned continued, "I figure that we shall come out near the wrecked portion of the building."
"Straight on, then," spoke up Jack, and as this seemed to be the decision of all, Ned turned to proceed.
A tremendous splash mingled with a choking cry from the leader. Ned was floundering about in water, throwing showers of spray over his companions, who came crowding forward, all excitement.
"What's the matter, Ned?" cried Jack. "Do you need help?"
As he spoke he turned the shaft of light from his electric toward his chum, revealing the lad dripping wet, standing in water a little more than knee deep. His hat and torch were gone.
"Come out of that!" commanded Jimmie, laughing.
"Guess I will, thank you," replied Ned. "I failed to see that water until I was in it. The rock is so black and the water runs so smoothly I neither saw nor heard it."
Examination revealed a stream of water issuing from the tunnel to the left and flowing along the one in which they now found themselves. At one side a narrow shelf afforded foothold.