asy."

We went about the thing slowly, turning but an inch at a time; a second
mistake might prove fatal. We heard no sound of any kind, and ten
minutes later we were lying flat on our backs side by side, keeping our
hands hidden between our bodies, that the absence of the thongs might
not be discovered. Each of us held in his right hand the hilt of a six
inch knife. Cold steel is by no means the favorite weapon of an
American, but there are times--

"Have you got your knife, Harry?"

"Yes."

"Good! Now listen close and act quick. When I give the word reach
down and grasp the cords round your ankles in your left hand, then cut
them through with one stroke. Then to your feet; grasp my jacket, and
together to the wall--that's for our backs. And then--let 'em come!"

"All right, old man."

"Don't waste any time; they'll probably start for us the instant we sit
up. Be sure you get your feet free at the first stroke; feel them well
with your left hand first. Are you ready?"

"Yes." And his voice was now calm and perfectly steady.

"Then--one, two, three--go!"

We bent and cut and sprang to our feet, and dashed for the wall. There
was a sound of rushing feet--our backs hugged the kindly rock--I heard
Harry's shout, "Here they come!"--dim, rushing forms--fingers clutching
at my throat.

I felt the blade of my knife sink into soft and yielding flesh, and a
warm, thick liquid flow over my hand and arm.

Chapter VIII.

THE DANCE OF THE SUN.

It seemed to me then in the minutes that followed that there were
thousands of black demons in that black hole. At the first rushing
impact I shouted to Harry: "Keep your back to the wall," and for
response I got a high, ringing laugh that breathed the joy of battle.

The thing was sickening. Harry is a natural fighting man; I am not.
Without the wall at our backs we would have been overpowered in thirty
seconds; as it was, we were forced to handle half a dozen of them at
once, while the others surged in from behind. They had no weapons, but
they had the advantage of being able to see us.

They clutched my throat, my arms, my legs, my body; there was no room
to strike; I pushed the knife home. They fastened themselves to my
legs and feet and tried to bring me down from beneath; once, in
slashing at the head of one whose teeth were set in my calf, I cut
myself on the knee. It was difficult to stand in the wet, slippery
pool that formed at my feet.

Sudd