How thankful they felt then that they had a sensible father, who did not forbid them to carry matches, as some boys' fathers do.

The father of Robert and Cyril only insisted on the matches being of the kind that strike only on the box.
'It's not a door, it's a sort of tunnel,' Robert cried to the girls, after the first match had flared up, flickered, and gone out.

'Stand off--we'll push some more stones down!' They did, amid deep excitement.

And now the stone heap was almost gone--and before them the girls saw the dark archway leading to unknown things.

All doubts and fears as to getting home were forgotten in this thrilling moment.