Chapter Fifteen AN EXCITING JOURNEY AND HUNT
　　TIMOTHY had leapt down into the hole when George had jumped. He now ran ahead of thechildren, puzzled at their wanting to explore such a cold, dark place. Both Julian and Dick hadtorches, which threw broad beams before them.
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　　There was not much to be seen. The Secret Way under the old house was narrow and low, so that thechildren were forced to go in single file, and to stoop almost double. It was a great relief to themwhen the passage became a little wider, and the room a little higher. It was very tiring to stoop all thetime.
　　'Have you any idea where the Secret Way is going?' Dick asked Julian. 'I mean - is it going towardsthe sea, or away from it?'
　　'Oh, not towards the sea!' said Julian, who had a very good sense of direction. 'As far as I can makeout the passage is going towards the common. Look at the walls - they are rather sandy in places, andwe know the common has sandy soil. I hope we shan't find that the passage has fallen in anywhere.'
　　They went on and on. The Secret Way was very straight, though occasionally it would round a rockypart in a curve.
　　'Isn't it dark and cold,' said Anne, shivering. 'I wish I had put on a coat. How many miles have wecome, Julian?'
　　'Not even one, silly!' said Julian. 'Hallo - look here -the passage has fallen in a bit there!'
　　Two bright torches shone in front of them and the children saw that the sandy roof had fallen in.
　　Julian kicked at the pile of sandy soil with his foot.
　　'It's all right,' he said. 'We can force our way through easily. It isn't much of a fall, and it's mostlysand. I'll do a bit of kicking!'
　　After some trampling¹ and kicking, the roof-fall no longer blocked the way. There was now enoughroom for the children to climb over it, bending their heads low to avoid knocking them against thetop of the passage. Julian shone his torch forward, and saw that the way was clear.
　　'The Secret Way is very wide just here!' he said suddenly, and flashed his torch around to show theothers.
　　'It's been widened out to make a sort of little room,' said George. 'Look, there's a kind of bench at theback, made out of the rock. I believe it's a resting-place.'
　　George was right. It was very tiring to creep along the narrow passage for so long. The little wideplace with its rocky bench, made a very good resting-place. The four tired children, cold but excited,huddled together on the queer seat and took a welcome rest. Timmy put his head on George's knee.
　　He was delighted to be with her again.
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　　'Well, come on,' said Julian, after a few minutes. 'I'm getting

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