t the tossing heights. Yes, here was the amphitheatre
or hollow known as Ukohlo. He remembered every detail of the story; he
and Joe Fleetwood had talked it over too often for it to be otherwise.
Yes, and where the rocky side of the mountain rose abruptly were several
holes and caves. The next thing would be to find the right one.

Now every detail of the story fitted in. Clearly this was the spot
whereon the two wretched men had been suddenly and treacherously
murdered. The knife, the human remains, all pointed that way. Hope,
dispelling his former depression, bounded high once more. If necessary
they would search every cranny and crevice, and thus could not fail to
secure the prize.

But--it was buried. Well, they would dig if necessary. The object
would be well worth the time and labour.

A shadow came between him and the light, then another. Wyvern looked
up. Great white vultures were wheeling and soaring between him and the
sun. What did it mean? Something must be dead or dying within this
grim, untrodden wilderness tract; and that hard by, yet of such there
was no perceptible sign. A strange, boding uneasiness settled upon him.
What could it mean? He was the only living thing moving at that time.
Again he looked up. The great white birds had multiplied to a very
cloud, and they were right above him, floating round and round at some
height.

Just there the holes and caves were formed by large boulders which had
fallen together rather than by cracks in the solid cliff face. The
opening of one of these formed a complete triangle, and towards this
some mysterious instinct impelled Wyvern's footsteps.

He paused a moment before the entrance. A damp, earthy smell came from
within, and again the detail as to the earth which Hlabulana had seen
sticking to the knives of the adventurers came back to his mind. Yet,
the connection of ideas proved nothing. The same earthy smell would
probably have greeted his nostrils had he entered any other of the caves
which here opened in all directions. Still, there was no harm in just
looking into this one.

A man of medium height could have entered it erect, but Wyvern had to
stoop. Once inside however, the fissure widened. At the further end
chinks of light penetrated where the boulders forming the hole had
fallen together, and these formed dim shafts of sunlight upon the floor.

The latter was soft and earthy. Could it be here that the stuff was
buried?