This he knew marked the abyss which he had so narrowly escaped. The spot was oblong in shape, and about six feet in width by ten or twelve in length.
Not a sound broke the oppressive stillness of the cavern, save a faint murmur borne up from the depths like the gentle plashing of slowly moving water.
By this time Little Snap had come to the conclusion that the unfortunate Raggles, father and sons, had come to an untimely fate by falling into the abyss, having been killed outright by the fall.
With no way to estimate the distance to the bottom of the place, all that seemed possible for him to do was to return to the outside world.
But was this possible for him to do?
He had crossed over the abyss, but how was he to get back? Little Snap, as fertile as he was in resources, for once was baffled.
Finding that there was no chance for him to pass over by clinging to the wall on either side, he concluded to explore the passage beyond, with the hope that he might find some other way of exit.
Slowly and carefully he groped his way along for several yards, finding that the passageway followed a zig-zag course as it penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of the earth.
Its course, however, was no longer downward, but on a comparatively level plane. This gave him additional courage to press on.
The walls had been high enough for him to stand upright soon after passing the entrance.