that for a year you and your
companions are the sworn servants of the Abati, and that it is your
business to receive orders, not to give them, also that the condition
upon which you earn your pay is that you destroy the idol of the Fung.
This is the decision of the Council, spoken by the mouth of the prince
Joshua, who command further that you shall at once set about the
business to execute which you and your companions are present here in
Mur."

"Is that _your_ command also, O Child of Kings?" answered Oliver,
colouring.

"Since I also think that the Abati can never be forced to attack the
city of the Fung, it is, O Orme, though the words in which it is couched
are not my words."

"Very well, O Child of Kings, I will do my best. Only blame us not if
the end of this matter is other than these advisers of yours expect.
Prophecies are two-edged swords to play with, and I do not believe that
a race of fighting men like the Fung will fly and leave you triumphant
just because a stone image is shattered, if that can be done in the time
and with the means which we possess. Meanwhile, I ask that you should
give me two hundred and fifty picked men of the Mountaineers, not of
the townspeople, under the captaincy of Japhet, who must choose them, to
assist us in our work."

"It shall be done," she answered, and we made our bows and went. As we
passed through the Council we heard Joshua say in a loud voice meant for
us to hear:

"Thanks be to God, these hired Gentiles have been taught their place at
last."

Oliver turned on him so fiercely that he recoiled, thinking that he was
about to strike him.

"Be careful, Prince Joshua," he said, "that before this business is
finished you are not taught yours, which I think may be lowly," and he
looked meaningly at the ground.

So the labour began, and it was heavy indeed as well as dangerous.
Fortunately, in addition to the picrate compounds that Quick called
"azure stinging bees," we had brought with us a few cases of dynamite,
of which we now made use for blasting purposes. A hole was drilled in
the face of the tunnel, and the charge inserted. Then all retreated back
into the Tomb of Kings till the cartridge had exploded, and the smoke
cleared off, which took a long while, when our people advanced with iron
bars and baskets, and cleared away the debris, after which the process
must be repeated.

Oh! the heat of that narrow hole deep in the bowels of the rock, and
the reek of