turned down the steps
which led to the temple.

For the temple was, as has been said, in ruins. There was a heap of
hewn stones on top of the earth, and that was all that showed from
above. In front a stone staircase led down into a damp and
evil-smelling place.

After a minute's descent Ned found himself in a long, narrow hall, which
had at some time in the distant past formed the lobby of the temple.

There was a cold wind blowing from somewhere in advance, and bats flew
croakingly against it in their retreat from the intruders. Ned heard
the clang of a heavy door behind him. Then the current of air was shut
off.

"This old barn of a place hasn't been used for a hundred years!" Jimmie
whispered, clutching Ned by the arm.

"What makes you think so?" asked Ned.

"If in use, there would be something here to show it," was the reply.
"See, they haven't even got lights here. The ones they are now carrying
were taken from the folds of their robes. And there would be no bats if
the place was in constant use."

"Right you are, boy," Ned whispered back. "But we knew what we were
getting into. Hark!"

It was the dull, rolling sound of a drum that caused the exclamation.
One of the men, far in advance, was evidently giving a signal. In a
moment the shrill notes of a fife reached the ears of the boys.

They waited for a moment, wondering, and then a burst of light came from
some unseen quarter and the four men were seen standing in line on a
rock which lifted above the sloping floor.

"Now for the ghosts!" whispered Jimmie. "Who's first?"

CHAPTER XII

NIGHT IN AN ANCIENT CITY

Frank Shaw and Jack Bosworth, suddenly awakened from a sound sleep in
the little mud shack in the cornfield, in the suburbs of Tientsin, were
not a little astonished at finding themselves rolled deftly out of the
blankets in which they had wrapped themselves before lying down.

"What's coming off here?" demanded Frank, rubbing his eyes and gazing
blankly about the hovel. "What kind of a hotel is this?"

"What did you do that for?" asked Jack, edging newer to Frank. "Why
this midnight industry? What did you pull me out of me covers for?"

"I didn't!" cried Frank. "You pulled me out!"

"Not me!" Jack answered. "I was catching German carp, in the upper
lagoon in Central Park, N.Y., just a second ago. Sorry I woke up before
I got a mess!"

"Who did it, then?" asked Frank. "Some one gave me a thump in the wind
an