ched the lip of the shaft, it hung
a little while, then moved across and began to descend with such
incredible swiftness that in a few seconds it had vanished from view.

"Oh!" said Bastin, with his eyes almost starting out of his head,
"that's the lift, is it? Well, I tell you at once I don't like the look
of the thing. It gives me the creeps. Suppose it tilted."

"It does not tilt," answered Yva, still smiling. "I tell you, Bastin,
that there is naught to fear. Only yesterday, I rode this rock and
returned unharmed."

"That is all very well, Lady Yva, but you may know how to balance it;
also when to get on and off."

"If you are afraid, Bastin, remain here until your companions return.
They, I think, will make the journey."

Bickley and I intimated that we would, though to tell the truth, if less
frank we were quite as alarmed as Bastin.

"No, I'll come too. I suppose one may as well die this way as any other,
and if anything were to happen to them and I were left alone, it would
be worse still."

"Then be prepared," said Yva, "for presently this air-chariot of ours
will return. When it appears and hangs upon the edge, step on to it and
throw yourselves upon your faces and all will be well. At the foot of
the shaft the motion lessens till it almost stops, and it is easy to
spring, or even crawl to the firm earth."

Then she stooped down and lifted Tommy who was sniffing suspiciously
at the edge of the pit, his long ears blown straight above his head,
holding him beneath her left arm and under her cloak, that he might not
see and be frightened.

We waited a while in silence, perhaps for five or six minutes, among
the most disagreeable, I think, that I ever passed. Then far down in the
brightness below appeared a black speck that seemed to grow in size as
it rushed upwards.

"It comes," said Yva. "Prepare and do as I do. Do not spring, or run,
lest you should go too far. Step gently on to the rock and to its
centre, and there lie down. Trust in me, all of you."

"There's nothing else to do," groaned Bastin.

The great stone appeared and, as before, hung at the edge of the pit.
Yva stepped on to it quietly, as she did so, catching hold of my wrist
with her disengaged hand. I followed her feeling very sick, and promptly
sat down. Then came Bickley with the air of the virtuous hero of
a romance walking a pirate's plank, and also sat down. Only Bastin
hesitated until the stone began to move away. Then with an