8
　　In the cellars
　　‘Let’s push at it together,’ said Philip, in excitement. ‘I’ll put the candledown on this ledge¹.’
　　He stuck the candle firmly into a crack on the ledge. Then he and Jackpushed hard at the trap-door just above their heads. A shower of dust felldown, and Philip blinked his eyes, half blinded. Jack² had closed his.
　　‘Blow!’ said Philip, rubbing his eyes. ‘Come on, let’s try again. I felt itmove.’
　　They tried again, and this time the trap-door suddenly gave way. It lifteda few inches, and then fell back again, setting free another cloud of dust.
　　‘Get a rock or big stone and we’ll stand on it,’ said Jack, red withexcitement. A bit more of a push and we’ll get the thing right open.’
　　They found three or four flattish stones, put them in a stout pile, andstood on them. They pushed against the trap-door, and to their delight itlifted right up, and fell backwards³ with a thud on the floor above, leaving asquare opening above the heads of the boys.
　　‘Give me a heave up, Jack,’ said Philip. He got such a shove that he shotout through the trap-door opening and landed on a rocky floor above. It wasdark there and he could see nothing.
　　‘Hand up the candle, Freckles⁴, and then I’ll haul you up,’ said Philip. Thecandle was handed up, but went out suddenly.
　　‘Blow!’ said Philip. ‘Oh glory, what’s that?’
　　‘Kiki, I expect,’ said Jack. ‘She’s flown up.’
　　Kiki had not made a sound or said a word all through the secret passage.
　　She had been alarmed at the dark strange place, and had clung hard to Jackall the way.
　　Philip hauled Jack up, and then groped in his pocket for the matches tolight the candle again. ‘Where do you suppose we are?’ he said. ‘I simplycan’t imagine.’
　　‘Feels like the other end of the world,’ said Jack. ‘Ah – that’s better, nowwe can see.’
　　He held up the lighted candle and the two boys looked round.
　　‘I know where we are,’ said Philip suddenly. ‘In one of the cellars atCraggy-Tops. Look – there are boxes of stores over there. Tins of food andstuff.’

分享到：