Sabina opened the door and came in, an unusual twinkle in her eyes. “Doctor Abrahams has arrived,” she said merrily. “Papa’s talking with him, but he’ll be here in a minute.”

The doctor pronounced Matthew’s leg and cast sufficiently sound to walk freely about with the help of a single crutch under his left shoulder, if he didn’t want to use them both.

“I don’t have to be easy on it anymore?”

“No, my boy. It’s well set and there’s nothing you can do to hurt it now—the cast will see to that. I’m certain too that it has caused you no additional problems.”

It was awkward work at first, learning to get up and down stairs and over the uneven terrain outside, but after being cooped up several days he was anxious to try out his newfound freedom. He and Sabina spent most of the rest of the afternoon outside, either in the courtyard, in the garden, or walking down the path past the oak tree and down to the stream below. By the end of the day he was moving about with tolerable ease, although he had tired himself out.

That evening at dinner he brought up the strange noise he had heard. Everyone looked puzzled and professed no insight as to what could be the cause.

“Any old house like this has its share of mice, even rats sometimes, Matthew,” said Herr von Dortmann.

“I’ve heard mice in walls, sir,” replied Matthew. “But this was different—a tapping sound. Something was knocking against the inside of the wall, I’m sure of it.”

“Maybe Matthew’s found the secret dungeon, Papa!” said Sabina excitedly.

The baron laughed.

“Secret dungeon!” exclaimed Matthew.

“An old wives’ tale, Matthew,” said Marion, “nothing more. And nothing you’ll hear anything about from this wife!”

“Is there really a dungeon?”

“To hear old Eppie tell it,” laughed Marion.

“There’s supposed to be one somewhere underneath this floor,” said Sabina.

“And is there?”

“If there is,” rejoined the baron, “it’s been lost to time, and the legend has been added to over the years by the likes of Eppie. Nobody’s ever seen hide nor hair of it, including Eppie herself, although she insists it’s here and that ghosts still wander out of it from time to time.”

“You should hear her tales, Matthew!” said Sabina.

“I would love to. This place is getting more and more intriguing all the time!”

“We’ll go visit her tomorrow! May we, Mama?”

“It’s all right with me,” replied Marion. “Just be watchful you don’t excite her too much. She’s still not altogether over the effects of her fall.”

“We’ll be careful. Do you want to, Matthew?”

“I can’t wait!”

25 The Hidden Passageway

25

The Hidden Passageway