‘He will think we have been guided there by the White Spirit,’ said Edgar, ‘and will regard us with superstitious awe. It would be a good thing if we could come across the cave he spoke of without his help.’
The stone turned in a similar way to the others, but this time they found themselves in a long passage, like an old mining tunnel in a rock.
They walked cautiously along, but there was more light here than in the cave they had left. Edgar kicked a loose stone and it rolled some distance in front and then vanished, and they heard a splash. The stone had fallen into a deep hole, and as they peered down they saw the water rolling slowly along at a considerable depth.
‘It must be an underground river,’ said Edgar. ‘We have had a narrow escape.’
They shuddered to think what would have befallen them had they not been warned by the stone. Round one side of the opening was a narrow pathway, and along this they passed safely to the opposite side, looking well ahead in case there should be more of these death traps.
The passage wound through the rock in a tortuous manner, and after they had gone a considerable distance, they sat down to rest and wonder where it would lead them. Will wished they had remained in the cave and waited for Yacka’s return, and Edgar began to think he had ventured upon a foolhardy journey.
‘We are in for it now,’ he said, ‘and shall have to go on, for we cannot find our way back, and even if we did, we could not push the stones round from this side. It looks very much like the workings of an old mine, but there can have been no mining done here, because the blacks know nothing of such work. What’s that?’
They listened intently and heard a faint sound in the distance like someone in pain and wailing aloud.
‘Come along,’ said Edgar, ‘there is someone ahead of us.’
They walked on as fast as they were able, and presently came to the end of the passage. Here they found another stone blocking the exit, but it had been partly pushed aside as though someone had just entered, and it had not swung back into its place. Edgar passed through, and as he did so held up his hand to caution Will not to make a noise.