he proposed to
effect an entrance, and he sent forward a scout to reconnoitre. His
anxiety, however, proved to be unfounded, for the scout presently
returned with the information that the door was unfastened and
everything quiet on that side of the building. The party therefore
moved forward once more, and presently Escombe found himself being
conducted along a corridor, unlighted save by the smoky flare of the
torches carried by his escort. Contrary to the young ruler's
expectations, the building, even now that he was inside it, remained
dark and silent as the grave; but this was explained by the statement of
Xaxaguana that the revolting priests were all gathered together in the
rock-hewn basement of the building, where they were at that moment
engaged in putting their more faithful brethren to the dreadful "ordeal
by fire". Accordingly, when Xaxaguana unlocked a massive bronze gate
let into a wall, and invited Harry to descend with him to the chamber
where the horrid rite was in progress, the young man followed
unhesitatingly, as he also did through a door which the priest unlocked
when they had reached the foot of the flight of stone steps and
traversed some yards of corridor apparently hewn out of the living rock.
The room was comfortably enough furnished, and looked almost as though
it might have been prepared for his reception, for it was lighted by a
handsome lamp suspended from the roof.

"If my Lord will condescend to wait here a moment and rest, I, his
servant, will go and see exactly what is happening, and return to
report," remarked Xaxaguana as he stood aside to allow Harry to pass
him.

"But why wait?" demanded Harry, facing round to the High Priest.
"Surely we have not a moment of time to waste. Would it not be--"

But, even as he was speaking, the Villac Vmu slid rapidly back into the
passage, closing the door behind him with a slam, through the thunderous
reverberation of which in the hollow vault Harry thought he caught the
sound of a sharp click. With a muttered ejaculation, expressive of
annoyance, he sprang to the door and endeavoured to open it; but it was
fast, and, as he listened, he heard the sounds of hastily retreating
footsteps in the passage outside. And in that same moment the truth
flashed upon him that, for some inscrutable reason, he was trapped and a
prisoner!

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

UMU TAKES A HAND IN THE GAME.

The first rays of the next morning's sun had scarcely fla