dent stumbled upon our lost companions. I confess that I had
nothing to say, but Quick rose to the occasion nobly.

"Glad to see you, Captain," he said to Oliver. "Was getting very anxious
about you, sir, until by good luck I found a match in the lining of my
coat. If the Professor had been here he'd have had plenty, which is an
argument in favour of continuous smoking, even when ladies are present.
Ah! no wonder her Majesty is faint in this hot place, poor young thing.
It's lucky you didn't leave hold of her, sir. Do you think you could
manage to support her, sir, as we ought to be moving. Can't offer to do
so myself, as I have lamed my foot with the tooth of a dead king, also
my arms are full of torches. But if you prefer the Doctor--what do you
say, sir? That you _can_ manage? There is such an echo in this vault
that it is difficult to hear--very well, let us go on, for these torches
won't last for ever, and you wouldn't like us to have to spend a whole
night here with the lady in such a delicate condition, would you,
especially as those nasty-tempered Abati might say that you had done
it on purpose? Take her Majesty's arm, Doctor, and let us trek. I'll go
ahead with the torches."

To all this artless harangue Oliver answered not a single word, but
glared at us suspiciously over the shape of Maqueda, who apparently had
fainted. Only when I ventured to offer her some professional assistance
she recovered, and said that she could get on quite well alone, which
meant upon Orme's arm.

Well, the end of it was that she got on, and so did we, for the torches
lasted until we reached the narrow, sloping passage, and, rounding the
corner, saw the lantern burning in the hole in the wall, after which, of
course, things were easy.

"Doctor," said Oliver to me in a voice of studied nonchalance that
night, as we were preparing to turn in, "did you notice anything in the
Vault of Kings this afternoon?"

"Oh, yes," I answered, "lots! Of course, myself, I am not given to
archaeology, like poor Higgs, but the sight struck me as absolutely
unique. If I were inclined to moralize, for instance, what a contrast
between those dead rulers and their young and beautiful successor, full
of life and love"--here he looked at me sharply--"love of her people,
such as I have no doubt in their day----"

"Oh, shut it, Adams! I don't want a philosophical lecture with
historical comparisons. Did you notice anything except bones and gold
when