ed a few steps.

"It is quite safe," he said. "Come down;" and Lawrence descended to
stand by his side.

"Shelter this lamp a minute," whispered Yussuf. "I must close the
stone, or the light will be out."

Lawrence took the lamp, the perspiration standing on his forehead the
while, as he felt that this was something like being Aladdin, and
descending into the cave in search of the wonderful lamp.

"Suppose," he thought, "that Yussuf should step out and leave him in
this horrible place to starve and die. Nobody would ever guess that he
was there, and no one would hear his cries. What was the place--a tomb?
And had Yussuf gone and left him?"

There was a low dull hollow sound as the stone descended into its place,
and a cry rose to the lad's lips, but it had no utterance, for Yussuf
said softly from above:

"Now you may show the light, and we can see where we are."

Lawrence drew a breath of relief as he took the light from his breast,
and saw that he was standing upon a very rough flight of stone steps,
with the rugged wall of rock on either side.

Yussuf took the lamp and held it up, showing a rough arch of great
stones over their heads, and the square opening over a rough landing
where they had descended, while on either side the rock looked as if at
some time it had been split, and left a space varying from four to six
feet wide, the two sides being such that, if by some convulsion of
nature they were closed, they would have fitted one into the other.

"Follow close behind me," said Yussuf. "This must lead into some vault
or perhaps burial-place. You are not frightened?"

"Yes, I am," said Lawrence in a low tone.

"Shall we go back?"

"No, but I cannot help being a little alarmed."

Yussuf laughed softly.

"No wonder," he said. "I feel a little strange myself. But listen,
Lawrence; what we have to fear is a hole or crack in the rock into which
we might fall, so keep your eyes on the ground."

But their path proved very easy, always a steep descent, sometimes cut
into stairs, sometimes merely a rugged slope, and always arched over by
big uncemented stones.

No vault came in sight, no passage broke off to right or left; it was
always the same steep descent--a way to some particular pine made by the
ancients, who had utilised the crevice or split in the rock, and arched
it over to make this rugged passage.

"I think I understand," said Yussuf, when they had gone on descending
for quite three