anley said. "It was evident
that this rubbish could only be the stones of the root, and
pavement over the depression in the middle of the ruin; and that
these could not block up this staircase very far. The question is,
will it be possible to clear them away? Evidently it will be
frightfully dangerous work. One might manage to get one stone out,
at a time, in safety. But at any moment, the loosening of one stone
might bring a number of others down, with a run; and anyone on this
narrow staircase would be swept away like a straw."

Meinik agreed as to the danger.

"Well, we need not think it over now, Meinik; but if we are really
besieged, it is by this way that we must escape, if at all. We must
hope that we sha'n't be beset; but if we are, we must try here. I
would rather be killed, at once, by the fall of a stone on my head,
than tortured to death."

Meinik nodded, and they descended the stairs, put out the torches
that they had used there, and returned along the ledge to the
chamber where Harry was lying.

"So Meinik scared them away," the latter said, as Stanley sat down
beside him. "I could not think what he was going to do when he came
up here with that long reed, as thick as my leg. He showed it to
me, and I saw that it had a sort of mouthpiece fixed into it; and
he made signs that he was going to blow down it. When he did, it
was tremendous and, as it got louder and louder, I put my hands to
my ears. Everything seemed to quiver. The other row--that
diabolical laughing noise--he made with a smaller one. It was
frightful; but the big note was more like a trombone, only twenty
times louder.

"Well, do you think that we have done with them?"

"I hope so, Harry. At any rate, you can be assured that they will
never fight their way up here and, long before our provisions are
finished, I have no doubt that I shall be able to hit on some plan
of escape."

The day passed quietly. The woods were as silent as usual. The
Burmans were all in high spirits at the success of Meinik's horn.
When it became dark, they hung a blanket before the entrance,
placed one of the lads on watch just outside it, and then lighted a
fire. Stanley took a couple of torches and went up to Harry, taking
the precaution to hang a cloth before the window.

"I have not said much about thanking you, old fellow," Harry said,
"but you must know how I feel."

"You had better say nothing about it, Harry. I have only done what
you would have do