take.

"Seven," whispered Burton as Appoyas and his men came into the passage
and fortunately went the opposite way to where the Englishmen were
watching.

Cautiously they followed; suddenly the men disappeared down a flight of
steps, and when Burton and Tom peered below they were amazed at what
they saw.

They were gazing into a large cave-temple, and at the far end was an
enormous statute of a figure evidently representing Atlas with a large
globe on his shoulders.

Burton and Tom were intently watching the men in the temple, when they
were startled by hearing some on rapidly approaching along the passage.
The man carried no light, and as the two Englishmen crouched close to
the side of the cave to allow him to pass he knocked against Tom's arm.

"Strangers in the cave!" shouted the man, and he turned and fled.

For a moment the men in the temple were too amazed to move; then,
simultaneously, they stamped out their torches.

"We have them trapped below if they have no other exit but the steps.
That man's gone for help," said Burton, and blew his whistle. "We will
have a look at them," he added, and turned on his lamp.

In an instant something flashed in the light and the lamp was knocked
out of his hand and fell with a clatter down the steps, for Appoyas had
crept up with his long brass-studded stick.

Next moment Tom felt himself hooked by the ankle, and before he could
free himself his legs were jerked from under him and he fell on his
back; then he felt a bare foot placed on his chest as some one trod on
him and dashed down the passage.

No one else was able to pass, for Burton stood on the top of the steps,
swinging his iron rod to and fro, and at the same time holding his
whistle in his mouth and blowing until some of his men arrived with
lights.

"Tom, you stop here with some of the men, and don't let any of these
rascals escape. Listen! The Doctor is having a tussle; there is a fight
going on all over the place, and I must discover where Mark is lest they
should try to injure him." Taking a couple of men, he hurried away in
the direction of the shouts which were ringing through the galleries.

"Hi! This way, Bur--r--r----" some one tried to shout in English.

"That's Mark's voice, and they are strangling him," said Burton. "Quick
with your lamp, Sergeant, this way," he added.

Burton found Mark in the grasp of two men, who dashed the lad to the
ground and then fled in the darkness, after showin