And in either case, John had little doubt that he himself would be pistolled, and nothing more ever heard of him.

Therefore he made his pony come to the mouth of it sideways, and leaned over and peered in around the rocky corner, while the little horse cropped at the briars.
But he soon perceived that the gully was empty, so far at least as its course was straight; and with that he hastened into it, though his heart was not working easily.

When he had traced the winding hollow for half a mile or more, he saw that it forked, and one part led to the left up a steep red bank, and the other to the right, being narrow and slightly tending downwards.

Some yellow sand lay here and there between the starving grasses, and this he examined narrowly for a trace of Master Huckaback.
At last he saw that, beyond all doubt, the man he was pursuing had taken the course which led down hill; and down the hill he must follow him.
And this John did with deep misgivings, and a hearty wish that he had never started upon so perilous an errand.

For now he knew not where he was, and scarcely dared to ask himself, having heard of a horrible hole, somewhere in this neighbourhood, called the Wizard's Slough.