"I'm glad to hear it. Come on. But, by Jove! I've forgotten my dark-lantern. What shall we do?"
"There's that light on the bar there."
"That'll do, bring it along."
"But what'll they say when they come back and find it gone?"
"No matter what they say. Most likely they'll think Mrs. Ernst's ghost has hidden it."
"By Jove! I shouldn't at all wonder," and, with a laugh, George entered the barroom, and securing the oil lamp, returned to the so-called reception-room.
Old Spicer now raised the trap-door.
With some little difficulty he climbed over the ash-heap, and taking the lamp from George, waited until he had closed the trap and joined him.
Then together they moved forward through the tunnel, which they found much wider and higher than the opening had given them any reason to expect.
At length, after walking some distance, they came to a door that closed up the end of the tunnel.