y?"

The old Kafir, who had been knotting a small stone into each corner so
that the thing should fall quickly, answered in the affirmative. In a
second the _reim_ was dropped over the side, and Eustace, sliding down,
stood at the bottom of the pit.

The indescribably fearful effluvium fairly choked him. He felt dizzy
and faint. The lunatic, still crouching at the other side, made no
aggressive movement, merely staring with lack-lustre eyes at the new
arrival. Keeping his eye upon him, Eustace took advantage of this
welcome truce to feel for his flask and counteract his fast overpowering
nausea with a timely pull.

"Tom," he said, in a most persuasive tone, approaching the wretched
being. "Tom--you know me, don't you?"

Then an awful change came into the maniac's countenance. His eyes
glared through the tangle of his matted hair; the great bushy beard
began to bristle and quiver with rage. He rose to his feet and, opening
his mouth, emitted that same horrible howl. Those above held their
breath.

Well for Eustace was it that he never quailed. Standing there in the
middle of the pit--at the mercy of this furious lunatic--he moved not a
muscle. But his eyes held those of the demoniac with a piercing and
steady gaze.

The crisis was past. Whimpering like a child, the wretched creature
sank to the ground, again covering his face with his hands.

This was good enough as a first triumph, but the maniac had to be coaxed
round to the other side of the hole. Eustace dared not remove his
glance, even for the fraction of a second. His foot struck against
something, which yielded suddenly and started away hissing. His pulses
stood still with horror, yet he knew better than to remove his eyes from
his unhappy kinsman.

"Come, Tom," he said coaxingly, advancing a couple of steps. "Get up,
man, and go and sit over there."

With an affrighted cry, the other edged away round the wall of his
prison, bringing himself much nearer the point where it was intended he
should be brought. He cowered, with face averted, moaning like an
animal in pain. Not to overdo the thing, Eustace waited a moment, then
advanced a step or two nearer. It had the desired effect. The madman
shuffled away as before. He must be in the right place now. Still
Eustace dared not look up.

"He's all right now, if you're ready," whispered a voice from above.

"Ready!" was the quick reply.

Something dropped. The madman's head and shou