looked down into the gorge.

'There is no road there,' I said. 'We must go down to the foot and
come up the stream-side. It would be better to leave your horse here.'
He started down the cliff, which from above looks a sheer precipice.
Then he seemed to agree with me, took the rope from the schimmel's
neck, and knee-haltered his beast. And at that moment I had an
inspiration.

With my wrist-rope in his hand, he preceded me down the hill till we
got to the red screes at the foot of the kloof. Then, under my
guidance, we turned up into the darkness of the gorge. As we entered I
looked back, and saw figures coming over the edge of the green
cup--Laputa's men, I guessed. What I had to do must be done quickly.

We climbed up the burn, over the succession of little cataracts, till
we came to the flat space of shingle and the long pool where I had been
taken that morning. The ashes of the fire which Machudi's men had made
were plain on the rock. After that I had to climb a waterfall to get to
the rocky pool where I had bestowed the rubies.

'You must take off this thong,' I said. 'I must climb to get the
collar. Cover me with a pistol if you like. I won't be out of sight.'

Laputa undid the thong and set me free. From his belt he took a
pistol, cocked it, and held it over his left hand. I had seen this way
of shooting adopted by indifferent shots, and it gave me a wild hope
that he might not be much of a marksman.

It did not take me long to find the pool, close against the blackened
stump of a tree-fern. I thrust in my hand and gathered up the jewels
from the cool sand. They came out glowing like living fires, and for a
moment I thrilled with a sense of reverence. Surely these were no
common stones which held in them the very heart of hell. Clutching
them tightly, I climbed down to Laputa.

At the sight of the great Snake he gave a cry of rapture. Tearing it
from me, he held it at arm's length, his face lit with a passionate
joy. He kissed it, he raised it to the sky; nay, he was on his knees
before it. Once more he was the savage transported in the presence of
his fetich. He turned to me with burning eyes.

'Down on your knees,' he cried, 'and reverence the Ndhlondhlo. Down,
you impious dog, and seek pardon for your sacrilege.'

'I won't,' I said. 'I won't bow to any heathen idol.'

He pointed his pistol at me.

'In a second I shoot where your head is now. Down, you fool, or
perish.'

'You