ck to the Cape
of Tempests, he knew the water-holes; we must be guided by his counsel.
And we forced them to listen. Yes, he had a plan. Three nights hence we
must flee. He would have water ready in skins. Meanwhile each night he
would divert the water, and we must descend and collect the stones so
that we should have enough for all. At night the tribe believed that
the spirits of the dead came to the black water to drink, and always
avoided the spot. . . . And by the light of the flickering torch we
broke down showers of the glittering stones from the soft blue rock in
which they were embedded till our pouches were full and the torch had
burned out. Then we stumbled and groped our way over slime and bones
till we came to the shaft, and one by one we climbed up and out into
the fair white moonlight. . . .

"Fools! fools! The shipmen quarreled over the stones the first day.
Alvaro lent them dice and they gambled with each other for their new-
found wealth. And as Alvaro wished, they quarreled; and Albuquerque and
Fonseca drew steel upon each other, and there in the sunshine stabbed
each other to death. 'The more for us,' said Alvaro, and we divided the
stones they fought for.

"That night we four went again to the black water. Once more we loaded
our pouches and climbed out one by one. I the first, for I was faint
with the air of the cavern. Then came N'buqu. But Alvaro came not, nor
Mendez the shipman. Impatiently I shook the ladder: it was near dawn.
Then at length came Alvaro. He was ghastly in the moonlight. And at the
top he began to pull up the ladder he had climbed by. 'But Mendez?' I
muttered. He answered not, but still hauled the hide rope. Then I
seized him by the shoulder and looked in his face. There was blood upon
him. 'He struck me from behind,' he said; 'my vest of mail saved me; he
is dead. The more for us!' I liked not Alvaro's face, and looked to my
dagger lest to-morrow he should say 'The more for me.' . . .

"That third night Alvaro and I for the last time descended the black
shaft. Well watched we each the other. He had both dagger and arquebus,
and I my hand petronel and dagger too. N'buqu came not down with us,
feigning that he must prepare all things that we might flee as soon as
we had loaded our pouches for the last time. . . . There he left us in
the black shaft my life-long comrade and I; and by reason of the lust
of wealth that came upon me and because of the fear of that which I saw
in Al