Part 51 (1/2)
”It is so her basket by the side, she began to descend cautiously, with Grip rushi+ng towhine after whine
The descent was not difficult, and after the first few steps the feeling of tian to wear off, and Celia descended more quickly till, about fifty feet fro, and where it had seereenish twilight, she found beneath her feet a few loose flat stones, part of a quantity lying before her in the archway that seeht at her feet, the dog began to scratch, tossing one thin piece of stone over the others upon which it lay
Celia looked before her wonderingly, for she had expected to see a fallen ht; but, in spite of the dog's scratching, she could not i into the half choked-up level passage before her, when there came from under her feet the saing to the side for support, and ready in her fear to rush back to the surface
But the dog's action brought her to herself, as he began again to bark furiously, and tore at the stones
”Hush!+ Quiet, Grip!” she said in an awe-stricken whisper, as she went down on her knees and listened, her heart beating wildly, and a horrible idea, all confused, of so her face turn ashy pale
”Ahoy! Any one there?” cairl ”What is it?”
”Help!”
And then, more loudly,--
”Let irl, ”what does it mean?”
”Ahoy there!” cao off to the cutter _White Hawk_ Can you hear?”
”Yes, yes,” said the girl huskily, as a horrible suspicion ran through her h that Mr Raystoke is a prisoner, kept by the slers, and then show his men the way here”
There was a pause, for Celia could make no reply; she kneho Mr Raystoke was, and it see midshi+pman should be kept a prisoner in such a too!” came up in the smothered tones
”You shall have a reward”
”As if I wanted a reward!” panted Celia ”What shall I do? What shall I do?”
”Help--pray help!” came from below; and Grip joined in
”Yes, I will help you,” cried Celia, placing her face close down to the stones
”What!” ca--yes, Miss Graeme”
”Yes,” she cried hastily
”Pray help o and--and tell--about what you have seen”
There was a pause, and then came faintly the words,--