last one. If we only had our
knives! But there are thousands of 'em."

"But if it comes to the worst--"

"Then--I'm with you. Forward!"

We started, and as we did so one of the four who had approached darted
from behind and led the way. Not a hand had touched us, and this
appeared to me a good sign, without knowing exactly why.

"They seem to have forgotten their manners," Harry observed. "The
approved method is to knock us down and carry us. I shall speak to the
king about it."

We had just reached the wall of the cavern and entered a passage
leading from it, when there came a sound, sonorous and ear-destroying,
from the farther end. We had heard it once before; it was the same
that had ended our desperate fight some days before. Then it had saved
our lives; to what did it summon us now?

The passage was not a long one. At its end we turned to the right,
following our guide. Once I looked back and saw behind us the crowd
that had surrounded us in the cave. There was no way but obedience.

We had advanced perhaps a hundred, possibly two hundred yards along the
second passage when our guide suddenly halted. We stood beside him.

He turned sharply to the left, and, beckoning to us to follow, began to
descend a narrow stairway which led directly from the passage. It was
steep, and the darkness allowed a glimpse only of black walls and the
terrace immediately beneath our feet; so we went slowly. I counted the
steps; there were ninety-six.

At the bottom we turned again to the right. Just as we turned I heard
Harry's voice, quite low:

"There are only a dozen following us, Paul. Now--"

But I shook my head. It would have been mere folly, for, even if we
had succeeded in breaking through, we could never have made our way
back up the steps. This I told Harry; he admitted reluctantly that I
was right.

We now found ourselves in a lane so low and narrow that it was
necessary for us to stoop and proceed in single file. Our progress was
slow; the guide was continually turning to beckon us on with gestures
of impatience.

At length he halted and stood facing us. The guard that followed
gathered close in the rear, the guide made a curious upward movement
with his arm, and when we stood motionless repeated it several times.

"I suppose he wants us to fly," said Harry with so genuine a tone of
sarcasm that I gave an involuntary smile.

The guide's meaning was soon evident. It took some seconds f