ish over the skull of No. 14!"

Thus we laboured continually, each at his different task, for the work
in the mine never stopped, Oliver being in charge during the day and
Quick at night for a whole week, since on each Sunday they changed with
their gangs, Quick taking the day shift and Oliver the night, or _vice
versa_. Sometimes Maqueda came down the cave to inspect progress,
always, I noticed, at those hours when Oliver happened to be off duty.
Then on this pretext or on that they would wander away together to visit
I know not what in the recesses of the underground city, or elsewhere.
In vain did I warn them that their every step was dogged, and that
their every word and action were noted by spies who crept after them
continually, since twice I caught one of these gentry in the act. They
were infatuated, and would not listen.

At this time Oliver only left the underground city twice or thrice a
week to breathe the fresh air for an hour or two. In truth, he had no
leisure. For this same reason he fitted himself up a bed in what had
been a priest's chamber, or a sanctuary in the old temple, and slept
there, generally with no other guard but the great dog, Pharaoh, his
constant companion even in the recesses of the mine.

It was curious to see how this faithful beast accustomed itself to the
darkness, and made its other senses, especially that of smell, serve
the purpose of eyes as do the blind. By degrees, too, it learned all
the details of the operations; thus, when the cartridge was in place for
firing, it would rise and begin to walk out of the tunnel even before
the men in charge.

One night the tragedy that I feared very nearly happened, and indeed
must have happened had it not been for this same hound, Pharaoh. About
six o'clock in the evening Oliver came off duty after an eight-hour
shift in the tunnel, leaving Higgs in command for a little while until
it was time for Quick to take charge. I had been at work outside all day
in connection with the new conscript army, a regiment of which was
in revolt, because the men, most of whom were what we should call
small-holders, declared that they wanted to go home to weed their crops.
Indeed, it had proved necessary for the Child of Kings herself to be
summoned to plead with them and condemn some of the ringleaders to
punishment.

When at length this business was over we left together, and the poor
lady, exasperated almost to madness, sharply refusing the escort of