coming through, but the woman, in her mad impatience,
could not bear the delay. Clambering down, she worked feverishly at
the cracks with a spear-head, and with a sharp hiss a stream of
water like steam shot out.

"Climb up," roared Mr. Hume.

"Another thrust, Indhlovu, and a woman will have won. One blow for
the sake of my child--the chief." Her long sinewy arm flew back, and
she drove the spear-head into the crack.

Then came a tremendous report. The block of loosened stone flew out
as if propelled from a big gun, whizzed far out, and after it, with
a deafening roar, flashed a white column, that widened as it leapt
forward. Spreading his arms, the Hunter threw himself back, bearing
his companions with him, as a mass of water struck the platform on
which they had stood. As the flood poured through the opening,
tearing and screaming like a thousand furies, other fragments of
rock were torn out and sent whirling down, to increase the terrible
din rising up from the cauldron below, where the waters once again
rushed and boiled through the dark tunnels, after their terrific
leap. The whole upper space of the great vault was filled with a
mist, which condensed and fell in a fine rain upon the three
crouching figures, deafened by the uproar, and expecting every
moment to be involved in one complete break-up of the interior walls
under the smashing blows of the flood. As they crawled back into the
passage for safety, some solid object crashed against the rock near
them, and the broken blade of a canoe paddle shot past them into the
passage.

It was sign of the terrible fate that must have overtaken those of
Hassan's men who had entered the valley by canoe. It served as a
spur to urge them to escape.

They crept into the Cave of Skulls, and there finding some relief
from the uproar, Mr. Hume asked Compton if he knew the way out.
Compton nodded, lit the last of his candles, and, guided by marks he
had made on the wall, led the way out and down to a spot where he
pointed to a hole several feet above the ground. They passed through
that, and after a long and wearying march--during the last part of
which the Hunter again carried Venning--they crawled out into the
old cave, and through that on to the ledge overlooking the valley.

A glance took in the position. Muata's people were gathered on the
tableland where stood the new village, watching the sinking of the
river, as unaccountable to them as had been the swift rising