It seemed a long time before they reached the cave; the hills were steep and the pony rather old, and more than once Dudley felt inclined to run forward on his own two legs.  Roy at last suggested this.

“I can drive up after you as fast as I can; and if you find him you holloa to me.”

So Dudley jumped out and was soon lost to sight behind the bushes and hollows that fringed the hills.

Roy drove on busily thinking, and wondering if they had done wisely to take the matter into their own hands, and come off alone as they had done.

When he at length reached the cave Dudley came to meet him with a puzzled face.

“Something has happened, Roy.  I can’t get into it very far; there’s a lot of earth tumbled down and I can’t move it.”

“Then old Principle is buried alive!” cried Roy in terror.  “Quick, Dudley, let us dig him out.”

Dudley seemed quite helpless.

“I’ve no spade, and there’s no place near to get one.  I wish we hadn’t come alone.”

This was a dilemma, but Roy would not be overcome by it.

“Let us look about for his tools; he always brings them up with him.  Isn’t there enough room for me to get in, Dudley?”

Dudley shook his head, and both boys approached the entrance.  There had indeed been a serious landslip, and it was impossible to remove the great blocks of stone and earth that had fallen without proper tools; and though they searched for some traces of old Principle, not a thing belonging to him could they find.

“Perhaps he may not be here.”

“I believe he is,” maintained Roy; “and we must be as quick as ever we can.  Dudley you go back in the cart and get some men to come and help.  I will stay here.  How I wish we hadn’t come alone!”

Left by himself, Roy did not sit down and do nothing.  Clambering all amongst the fallen earth and stone, he eagerly searched for some crevice or opening; and at last high up in the ravine he found one.  Then lying down flat on the ground he put his mouth to the hole.  “Old Principle!  Hi!  Old Principle!  Are you there?”

It was not fancy that a muffled voice came up to him—­

“Help!  I’m here!”

That gave Roy fresh strength.  Eagerly he tore aside brambles and stones with small thought of his scratched, bruised hands, and at last had the satisfaction of viewing a hole big enough to drop his slim little body through.  Then he called again,

“Old Principle, I’m coming down from the top.  Are you hurt?  Can you tell me if it is far to fall?”

And this time old Principle’s voice sounded clearer: 

“God help you, laddie!  For I can’t help you or myself.  No it is not a very big drop from where you are.”

For one moment Roy looked at the dark chasm below him with hesitation, then he murmured to himself, “If I break my other leg, I must get to him—­poor old Principle.”