off
the entrances. In another place what seemed to be a cavern was
completely shut in, save that a hole was left, into which Mark pitched a
loose stone that he managed to dislodge, to hear it go rumbling away
into the darkness as if it had fallen to where there was a steep slope.

"There's something to see there," said the doctor, "some day when we are
provided with lanterns and a rope or two. Why, boys, all this grows on
one. There's no doubt now that we are amongst ruins, and how far they
extend it is impossible to say. Stop here a few minutes, and let's have
a look round. This bit is evidently natural kopje."

The party stood and sat about the steep slope of rock, and taking out a
small field glass the doctor carefully scanned the rocky expanse for a
few minutes, before handing it to the boys, who used it in turn.

"Why, it is a wilderness, doctor," cried Mark. "You look there," he
continued, returning the glass, "just to the left of that clump of
trees. I am sure that must have been a wall. You can see the
what-you-may-call-them--layers of stones--courses. They are rough
enough. But it must have been built up, because every here and there
regularly holes are left."

"Yes," said the doctor, "you are quite right;" and he closed the glass
again. "That is a regular chequer pattern. That must have been the top
of the wall, and just below I made out a line of stones laid edgeways to
form a zig-zag band. Old buildings, my boy, without doubt."

"But I want to see where our little chap found the gold," said Mark.

"Well, let's ask him," said Dean.

The boys turned to where the two blacks were standing watching them, a
strangely assorted pair as they kept together, Mak towering up above the
eager-looking pigmy, who seemed to have grown during the few hours that
he had been with the party more active and better than before.

Mark began with Mak, asking a question to which the only answer he could
get was a wave of the spear; but when he turned impatiently to the pigmy
and began to question him in signs, touching the gold ornaments in the
same way as he had tried to enquire of his fellow of the forest camp,
the only reply he could get was a shake of the head.

"Well, I call that disappointing," said Mark. "It is just as if he had
brought us here on purpose to show us, and now won't tell."

"Wait a bit," said the doctor. "We can't find out everything at once.
Come along, and don't wander away to a distan