I opened my mouth to fling an answer at the taunting scoundrel, but
Holman surmised my intention and begged me to hold my tongue.

"They'll get no food if you cry out!" he whispered. "Don't speak to him,
man!"

The Professor made no answer to the offensive remark, and after a few
minutes' silence Leith drew back, and Soma started to lower a bundle of
food into the dark prison.

"That rope might prove useful," whispered Holman. "Feel around and see
if you can get hold of it before he pulls it up."

The light of the torch which Leith held only illuminated about six feet
of the rope as the native passed it into the prison, so Holman and I,
standing directly under the opening, felt around in the darkness as the
bundle of food came toward the ground.

"I have it!" murmured Holman. "Wait till he unhooks the bundle."

We let the rope run through our hands till the package of food touched
the rock floor. The line had a small hook upon the end, and the moment
Soma felt that the parcel had reached the bottom of the place, he
dexterously unhooked it with a slight jerk and started to haul in.

"Now!" whispered the youngster. "A big pull! We might bring the nigger
through the hole!"

We went very close to performing the feat. The jolt took the native
unawares; he fell forward on his knees and barely saved himself from
dropping into the opening. The rope came toward us with a run, but as we
pulled furiously it stopped with a sudden jerk, and we knew that the
other end was tied to some projection on the surface.

Leith laughed derisively, and the laugh maddened Holman. He clutched the
rope and started to climb rapidly upward. I couldn't see him, but I felt
his shoes as he wriggled away into the darkness above me, and I held my
breath, I gripped the rope and kept it taut so that Leith and Soma might
not discover the ruse.

But Leith had more cunning than we credited him with. After a futile
pull at the rope he thrust the pine torch through the hole, and as it
dropped into the cavern it illuminated the figure of Holman, who was
then about fifteen feet from the floor. "Cut the rope!" roared the
ruffian. "Quick, Soma! Cut the rope and break the ---- fool's neck!"

Holman, realizing that it was impossible to reach the top, saved himself
a nasty fall by sliding down the rope while the native slashed at it,
but he had not touched the floor when the ninety feet of strong manilla
came whirling down through the darkness. And the