l a bit cowardly like."

"Yes, of course, it makes you nervous," said Jack quietly.

"There! Feel that, sir?" whispered Ned in a horror-stricken voice.

"That hot puff of air? Yes, it's curious. I suppose it would grow
warmer the farther we went in."

"And you taking it as cool as can be, sir," said Ned in a voice full of
reproach.

"Well, why not? We've only got to be careful, just as we should have to
be if we were climbing up to the crater. There would be hot steamy
puffs of air there, and--Quick, don't speak. Take hold of my hand, and
let's go softly right in."

Ned did not hesitate, but obeyed at once, and they walked softly on into
the darkness ahead, for from apparently close behind them--though the
speakers had not yet reached the mouth of the low cavern--there came the
confused angry gabble of many voices, and on looking back Ned saw the
mouth of the place darkened, and it seemed as if the enemy were about to
come in; but some were apparently hesitating, and protesting against its
being done.

Ned's dread of the unseen departed at sight of the seen, and he walked
firmly onward, gripping Jack's hand tightly.

"Come on in, sir," he whispered; "they're after us. Let's get into a
dark corner, and let 'em have it with stones--some of these sharp bits."

Everything seemed to point to the fact that they must either get right
into the depths of the cavern and trust to finding a place of
concealment, or stand on their defence as Ned suggested, and meet their
enemies with stones.

They must have retreated quite fifty yards over the sharp cracking
fragments, when the light which shone in upon them from the mouth
suddenly ceased, and looking round for the cause, they found that the
passage had made a sudden turn, so that they had to go back three or
four yards before they could catch sight of the enemy.

That which they saw was enough to startle them, showing as it did the
imminence of their danger, and that the blacks were probably coming in
search of them, under the belief that they were in hiding. For one,
evidently the leader, was in advance, with bow and arrow in hand ready
to shoot, and his companions held their spears prepared for action as
they came on in a stooping attitude.

"Shall we shoot at 'em?" whispered Ned, feeling now in the presence of
danger.

"No. Let's get a little heap of stones and be ready to throw when they
are well in reach."

"Oh, if I could only use my other arm!" mut