Part 20 (2/2)

”Why not? nobody could hear”

”No; but it sounds so creepy and queer Let's have a light”

It did sound ”creepy and queer,” for the sounds ca in nature, from the fact that our busy brains are always ready to dress it up in the most weird way, especially if the unknown lies in the dark

But nohis basket, out of which he drew an old-fashi+oned horn lanthorn and gave it to Mike to hold, while he took so else out of the creel, which rattled as it was ht half a candle,” said Mike, who had opened the lanthorn, and held it so that the rays which streah the brambles overhead fell in its interior ”What shall we do when that burns out?”

”Light one of the pieces I've got in my pockets,” said Vince coolly, as he sat down on the water-worn granite, and placed a round, flattish tin box between his knees ”Didn't bring a cushi+on with you, did you?”

”Cushi+on? No; what for?”

”One to sit on: this is precious hard”

And then _scratch, scratch_: a rub of a tiny wax match upon the sanded side of a box, and a flash of red, di of the kind: matches of that sort had not been invented fifty or sixty years ago Whoever wanted a light had to go to work as Vince prepared to do, after placing a thin slip of wood sharpened at each end and dipped in bri a piece of steel or iron bent round so as to foruarded by the edge of the steel, this was held over the tin box, which was, on the inner lid or press being re the tinder that was to catch the sparks

Vince was pretty handy at the task frohtly between his knees he ain as he struck the steel in his left hand with a piece of sharp-edged flint held in his right

_Nick, nick, nick, nick_--the nearly forgotten sound that used to rise in earlyfrom the kitchen before a fire could be lit--and _nick, nick, nick, nick_ again, here in the narrow opening, where the rays of sunshi+ne shot down and made the sparks which flew from flint and steel look pale as they shot doard at every stroke the lad gave

Mike felt nervous at the idea of penetrating the depths below them, and to hide this nervousness he chattered, and said the first thing that ca tone:

”Here! you are a fellow to get a light Let me have a try”

But as he spoke one spark fell upon the tinder and seemed to stay, while as soon as Vince saw this he bent down and bleith the result that it began to glow and increase in size so much that when the bri spot still fanned by the breath the curious yellow an to melt, sputter, and then burst into a soft blue flaradually communicated to the wood

This burned freely, the candle in the lanthorn was lit, the door shut, and the tinder-box with flint and steel closed and smothered out and returned to the creel

”You'd have done it in half the ti the creel on his back ”Now then, are you going to carry the lanthorn?”

”I ht: then you'll have to go first”

Mike felt disposed to alter the arrangement, but he could not for very shame

”You take the rope, then But, I say, you needn't carry that creel as well,” he said

”I don't want to; but suppose the candle goes out?”

”Oh, you'd better take it,” said Mike eagerly ”Ready?”