At first it seemed as though there weren't no way out; but with the help
of the light, he found at last a little, low tunnel that opened out of the
hole; and then he found another opposite to it. And the one he reckoned
must run up under Vitifer into the thickness of the hill; while t'other
pointed south. Then, thinking upon the lay of the land, Amos reckoned the
second might be most like to lead to the air. And yet his heart sank a
minute later, for he guessed--rightly as it proved--that the south tunnel
was that which opened into a cave at Smallcumbe Goyle, near half a mile
down under. A place it was where he'd often played his games as a child;
but that ancient mine adit was well known to be choked by a heavy fall of
rock fifty yards from the mouth, so it didn't look very hopeful he'd win
through. However his instinct told him the sole chance lay there; for
t'other channel, if pursued, could only lead to the heart of the hill. He
set out according and after travelling twenty yards with bent head found
the roof of the tunnel lift and went on pretty steady without adventures
for a few hundred yards. 'Twas very evil air and he doubted if he'd keep
his head much longer; but with the torch light to guide his feet, he
staggered forward conscious only of one thing, and that was a great and
growing pain in his elbow. That's where the first stone had grazed him
that his nephew had thrown down the pit, and he stopped and found he was
cut to the bone and bleeding a lot.
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