"Of course I'm comin', guv'nor," he made answer. "D'yer think I'd be such
a dirty blighter as ter let you go dahn there--p'raps ter your very
death--alone? Not me, sir. Dollops is a-follerin' wherever you lead, and
if you chooses 'ell itself, well, 'e's ready ter be roasted and fried in
the devil's saucepan, so long as 'e keeps yer company."
Without waiting for the end of this gallant, if rather prolonged speech
Cleek knelt down, set his two hands upon the iron ring and pulled for all
he was worth. But the ease with which the door lifted came as something
of a surprise. It came up silently, almost sending Cleek over backward,
as indeed it would have done a man with less poise, but he easily
recovered himself. He and Dollops cautiously approached the edge, and in
the half-light which the moon shed upon it (they did not use Cleek's
torch) saw that a flight of roughly-made clay steps led down into
darkness below. They sat back upon their heels and listened. Not a sound.
"Coming?" whispered Cleek in a low, tense whisper.
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