had brought tinder and matches, and Steadfast, who knew the secrets
of the cave even better than his father, showed them a little hollow,
far back, which would just hold the chest, and being closed in front
with a big stone, fast wedged in, was never likely to be discovered
readily.

***the hiding of the casket***

"This has been a hiding place already."

"Methinks this has once been a chapel," said the clergyman presently,
pointing to some rude carvings--one something like a cross, and a
large stone that might have served as an altar.

"Belike," said Kenton, "there's an old stone pile, a mere hovel, down
below, where my grandfather said he remembered an old monk, a hermit,
or some such gear--a Papist--as lived in hiding. He did no hurt, and
was a man from these parts, so none meddled with him, or gave notice
to the Queen's officers, and our folk at the farm sold his baskets at
the town, and brought him a barley loaf twice a week till he died,
all alone in his hut. Very like he said his mass here."

John wondered to find that the minister thought this made the place
more suitable. The whole cavern was so low that the two men could
hardly stand upright in it, though it ran about twelve yards back.
There were white limestone drops like icicles hanging above from the
roof; and bats, disturbed by the light, came flying about the heads
of their visitors, while streamers of ivy and old man's beard hung
over the mouth, and were displaced by the heads of the men.