. They passed the heap of skeletons, and went to the far
corner, where a very low, small door stood open. It had been closed
when Jack looked into the chamber, and so he had been able to gain no
idea of the fashion in which the woman had left the place.

The woman shot through the opening, and the light of her torch showed
that she had entered a low tunnel not more than four feet in height
and about the same in width.

"Duck your head down and come on," said Mr. Haydon, and Jack brought
up the rear in the march along this tiny passage, where he had almost
to scramble on hands and knees.

"What is this?" he called to his father, as the latter scrambled ahead
of him.

"This," said Mr. Haydon, "explains the secret chamber. It is a passage
by which the priests could enter or leave the pagoda without the
knowledge of worshippers. The secret chamber was merely its ante-room,
as one may say."

"How did the woman hit on it?" asked Jack.

"Looked round the place and saw the door and found it would open
easily. She crept along the passage till she saw daylight, then she
returned to give us the word."

"Good for her!" said Jack. "She's a first-rate sort. But I wonder how
long it will be before those little ferrets behind are after us.
They'll come along here in double-quick time."

"We've got a fair start," replied his father. "They'll come up the
steps very slowly, having to push the fire before them."

They had gone fifty or sixty yards along the tunnel, when the woman
looked over her shoulder and spoke to Mr. Haydon.

"We've got to be careful here," said the latter to Jack. "The roof is
sagging and hangs very low. We must go through one at a time."

At this moment the woman threw herself on the floor and began to wind
her way along like a snake. By the light of her torch Jack saw that
the roof threatened at every second to fall in and block the passage.
One great stone hung half-released from the grip of its fellows, as if
about to topple headlong. The woman went through the tiny space in
safety, and then crouched down on the other side and threw the light
into the gap to show her companions the road.

"For heaven's sake, be careful how you come through, Jack!" breathed
his father. "Don't touch this huge stone for your life. It trembles
now, and there isn't thirty inches fairway."

Very slowly and cautiously Mr. Haydon and then Jack wriggled along
flat to the ground until the dangerous spot was cleared.

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