ped outward into space, lunged
forward, and shot downward into the inky depths below. Still clutching
his spear, he struck the water, and sank beneath its surface, plumbing
the depths.

The fall had not injured him, and when he rose to the surface, he shook
the water from his eyes, and found that he could see. Daylight was
filtering into the well from the orifice far above his head. It
illumined the inner walls faintly. Tarzan gazed about him. On the
level with the surface of the water he saw a large opening in the dark
and slimy wall. He swam to it, and drew himself out upon the wet floor
of a tunnel.

Along this he passed; but now he went warily, for Tarzan of the Apes
was learning. The unexpected pit had taught him care in the traversing
of dark passageways--he needed no second lesson.

For a long distance the passage went straight as an arrow. The floor
was slippery, as though at times the rising waters of the well
overflowed and flooded it. This, in itself, retarded Tarzan's pace,
for it was with difficulty that he kept his footing.

The foot of a stairway ended the passage. Up this he made his way. It
turned back and forth many times, leading, at last, into a small,
circular chamber, the gloom of which was relieved by a faint light
which found ingress through a tubular shaft several feet in diameter
which rose from the center of the room's ceiling, upward to a distance
of a hundred feet or more, where it terminated in a stone grating
through which Tarzan could see a blue and sun-lit sky.

Curiosity prompted the ape-man to investigate his surroundings.
Several metal-bound, copper-studded chests constituted the sole
furniture of the round room. Tarzan let his hands run over these. He
felt of the copper studs, he pulled upon the hinges, and at last, by
chance, he raised the cover of one.

An exclamation of delight broke from his lips at sight of the pretty
contents. Gleaming and glistening in the subdued light of the chamber,
lay a great tray full of brilliant stones. Tarzan, reverted to the
primitive by his accident, had no conception of the fabulous value of
his find. To him they were but pretty pebbles. He plunged his hands
into them and let the priceless gems filter through his fingers. He
went to others of the chests, only to find still further stores of
precious stones. Nearly all were cut, and from these he gathered a
handful and filled the pouch which dangled at his side--the uncut