candlewood split into small strips, had been
provided. The party stood before the face of the rock.

"What, are we to go in there?" asked Miss Pemberton, in a tone of
dismay.

"I am afraid that we shall discover no other mode of ingress," said Mr
Twigg, as the guide, with the torches under his arm, crept through the
larger of the two openings. "Come, Archie, do you and the rest of you
go next," he said, turning to the two book-keepers, "and hail when the
torches are lighted. You will assist to sweep the passage."

Archie, not very well pleased, obeyed his superior, and in a short time
the voices of the young gentlemen from within were heard shouting, "All
right!" The gallant lieutenant next went down on his hands and knees,
his long legs disappearing through the entrance. The major stood bowing
to Mrs Twigg, who seemed to consider that it was her duty to go next,
that she might be ready to receive her charges; they, laughing, quickly
followed her, the major and the other gentlemen bringing up the rear.
They found themselves in a circular vestibule about twenty feet in
diameter and fourteen in height, with an irregular concave ceiling
covered, as were the sides, with innumerable glittering stalactites,
reflecting on their polished surfaces the light of the torches held by
the guide and the young book-keepers, who stood round in a circle,
flourishing them over their heads. Several columns of stalactite
forming arches overhead gave the cavern, the appearance of a Gothic
chapel, while between the pillars various openings led into avenues
which diverged in different directions, apparently running far away into
the interior of the mountain.

"See, there sits the presiding genius of the cavern," said Mr Twigg,
taking a torch and advancing a few steps towards an object which had a
wonderful resemblance to a statue carved by the sculptor's hand. It was
that of a venerable hermit, sitting in profound meditation, wrapped in a
flowing robe, his arms folded and his beard descending to his waist.
His head was bald, his forehead wrinkled with age, while his features
were well defined, the eyes, nose, and mouth being perfect. The
graceful, easy folds of the drapery and the wavy flow of his beard were
especially remarkable. Mr Twigg did not say that he had gone in
shortly before with the guide and artistically touched up the features
by the liberal use of charcoal.

"Shouldn't wonder if the old fellow was a god of the ori