Though rather taken aback at this strange sight, Rip came forward to lend a hand, and the two of them clambered together up a narrow gully, evidently the dry bed of some ole mountain stream. As they climbed upwards, Rip every now and then heard long, rolling peals like distant thunder; it seemed to come from the deep ravine to which their rugged path was leading. Passing through the ravine they emerged into a hollow, roofless hall inside the mountain. Its walls were sheer up to the top, over which hung the branches of trees reaching out despairingly into the void, allowing only brief glimpses of the azure sky and bright evening cloud.