Icanassureyou，andtellnolieasJohnFryalwaysusedtosay，whentellinghisverylargest，thatI
scrambledbacktothemouthofthatpitasiftheevilonehadbeenafterme。AndsorelyIrepentednowofallmyboyishfolly，ormadnessitmightwellbetermed，inventuring，withnonetohelp，andnothingtocompelme，intothataccursedvalley。Onceletmegetout，thinksI，andifeverIgetinagain，withoutbeingcastinbyneckandbycrop，Iwillgiveournew-borndonkeyleavetosetupformyschoolmaster。
HowIkeptthatresolutionweshallseehereafter。ItisenoughformenowtotellhowIescapedfromthedenthatnight。FirstIsatdowninthelittleopeningwhichLornahadpointedouttome，andwonderedwhethershehadmeant，asbitterlyoccurredtome，thatI
shouldrundownintothepit，andbedrowned，andgivenomoretrouble。ButinlessthanhalfaminuteIwasashamedofthatidea，andrememberedhowshewasvexedtothinkthatevenaloachshouldlosehislife。AndthenIsaidtomyself，’Nowsurelyshewouldvaluememorethanathousandloaches；andwhatshesaidmustbequitetrueaboutthewayoutofthishorribleplace。’
ThereforeIbegantosearchwiththeutmostcareanddiligence，althoughmyteethwerechattering，andallmybonesbeginningtoachewiththechillinessandthewetness。Beforeverylongthemoonappeared，overtheedgeofthemountain，andamongthetreesatthetopofit；andthenIespiedroughsteps，androcky，madeasifwithasledge-hammer，narrow，steep，andfarasunder，scoopedhereandthereinthesideoftheentrance，andthenroundabulgeofthecliff，likethemarksuponagreatbrownloaf，whereahungrychildhaspickedatit。Andhigherup，wherethelightofthemoonshonebroaderupontheprecipice，thereseemedtobearudebrokentrack，liketheshadowofacrookedstickthrownuponahouse-wall。