Even as she spoke she stubbed her toe on a rock and would have fallen had not Penny caught her by the arm.
They came presently to the first flight of stairs and were relieved to glimpse the lantern far above them. Taking care to keep out of range of the beam, they followed through the narrower passage to the second flight of steps.
By this time the girls were positive that Caleb intended to enter the house by means of the secret panel. At the risk of detection they drew a little closer.
Caleb paused at the head of the stairs to listen for a moment. Then he blew out his lantern.
Sensing that the old man would unlock the panel, Penny stole forward. She was just in time to see a section of the wall drop down. Caleb passed through the opening and with a click the panel closed behind him.
“Now what shall we do?” Rosanna demanded. “We’re locked in here the same as we were before.”
“I think I saw the place where he pressed the wall,” Penny whispered. “I was watching closely.”
For several minutes she groped about in the dark. At last her fingers touched a small knob.
“I believe I’ve found it,” she proclaimed triumphantly.
As she was on the verge of turning the knob, she stayed her hand. With Caleb in the organ room he would be certain to see the panel open. There was danger too that he might return at any instant to find them crouching at the head of the stairs.