So they descended one after the other , and as Dick lowered the trap , the blows began once again to thunder on the panels of the door . CHAPTER IV -- THE PASSAGE The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow , dirty , and short . At the other end of it , a door stood partly open ; the same door , without doubt , that they had heard the man unlocking . Heavy cobwebs hung from the roof ; and the paved flooring echoed hollow under the lightest tread . Beyond the door there were two branches , at right angles . Dick chose one of them at random , and the pair hurried , with echoing footsteps , along the hollow of the chapel roof . The top of the arched ceiling rose like a whale 's back in the dim glimmer of the lamp . Here and there were spyholes , concealed , on the other side , by the carving of the cornice ; and looking down through one of these , Dick saw the paved floor of the chapel -- the altar , with its burning tapers -- and stretched before it on the steps , the figure of Sir Oliver praying with uplifted hands . At the other end , they descended a few steps . The passage grew narrower ; the wall upon one hand was now of wood ; the noise of people talking , and a faint flickering of lights , came through the interstices ; and presently they came to a round hole about the size of a man 's eye , and Dick , looking down through it , beheld the interior of the hall , and some half a dozen men sitting , in their jacks , about the table , drinking deep and demolishing a venison pie . These were certainly some of the late arrivals . `` Here is no help , '' said Dick . `` Let us try back . '' `` Nay , '' said Joanna ; `` maybe the passage goeth farther . '' And she pushed on . But a few yards farther the passage ended at the top of a short flight of steps ; and it became plain that , as long as the soldiers occupied the hall , escape was impossible upon that side . They retraced their steps with all imaginable speed , and set forward to explore the other branch . It was exceedingly narrow , scarce wide enough for a large man ; and it led them continually up and down by little break-neck stairs , until even Dick had lost all notion of his whereabouts . At length it grew both narrower and lower ; the stairs continued to descend ; the walls on either hand became damp and slimy to the touch ; and far in front of them they heard the squeaking and scuttling of the rats . `` We must be in the dungeons , '' Dick remarked .
`` And still there is no outlet , '' added XXXXX .
Dick Joanna Oliver escape flickering goeth jacks right spyholes whale