Rob became somewhat concerned.
'It'll be no easy job to pull him back,' he said in a whisper.
'It's as deep as the dungeon they put Donald Gorm Môr into,' said his cousin Neil.
'Maybe there's no bottom at all,' said Duncan, rather awe-stricken.
Suddenly a fearful thing happened. There was a cry from below—a quick cry of alarm; and at the same moment they were startled by a wild whizzing and whirring around them, as if a legend of fiends had rushed out of the pit. With a shriek of fright Duncan sprang back from the edge of the dungeon; and that with such force that he knocked over his two companions. Moreover, in falling, they let go the rope; when they rose again they looked round in the twilight, but could find no trace of it. It had slipped over the edge. And there was no sound from below.
Rob was the first to regain his senses. He rushed to the edge of the hole and stooped over.
'Nicol, are ye there?'
His heart jumped within him when he heard his brother's voice.
'Yes, I am; and the rope too. How am I to get up?'
Rob turned quickly.