The boys stood looking at the old stone stairway, which seemed to invite them to a higher region, but still as narrow as the passage.
The stones were dusty, and cobwebs hung in all directions; but everything seemed as if it had been unused ever since the architect put the finishing touches to the place.
The two boys looked at the stairway, Fred holding up the candle, and Scar peering over his shoulder for some moments before the former spoke.
“Think we’d better go back now.”
“Yes,” said Scarlett; “only doesn’t it seem cowardly?”
Fred remained silent for a while, and then said with a sigh—
“I suppose it does. Come on.”
“Are you going up?”
“Yes. I don’t want to. It’s all so dark and creepy; but we should laugh at each other for being frightened when we got out.”
Scar nodded his head, and after a little more hesitation, Fred went slowly up the stairs, to find that from the top another narrow passage went off at right angles.