to house, I suppose I ought to call it--I can't help
thinking that there was something pretty desperate went on before they
let the enemy get up those steps."

"No doubt," said the doctor, "and that accounts for so many of the
stones of that breastwork being missing."

"That's right, sir. Well, I want to go down into that hole with a big
light, and see what's at the bottom there. I'm reckoning that we could
find out what kind of weapons the enemy had to fight against the
stones."

"Yes," cried Ned; "their swords and--"

"Well, I don't know about swords, squire," said the American dryly, "but
they must have had something to fight with. I vote that we go and see."

This was agreed to without hesitation on the doctor's part, and the
party made their way back to the top of the steps.

There was a pause here while all walked along the four sides, where
hundreds of stones averaging the size of a man's head lay just as they
had been placed ages before; and then the descent was made to the
opening at the side where the heap of dust had disappeared, and a short
consultation took place.

"You'll have to give up for to-day, Griggs," said the doctor; "it's as
black as ink down there at the bottom."

"That's what I've been thinking, sir," said Griggs. "One must have a
lanthorn for this job, and by the time I've been to fetch it, got back
here with another rope or two, and lit up ready for work, another hour
will have slipped away; so if Chris and Ned here will promise not to
tell me that I'm too much scared to go, I think I'll give it up for
to-night."

"You may take it for granted that no one will even dream of such a
thing," said the doctor quietly; "and I think it will be much wiser to
give up. We've done quite enough for one day. Every one for camp, a
good wash, and a hearty meal."

An hour later they were seated round their camp-fire, talking over the
adventures of the day, and that night almost the same dream disturbed
the slumbers of both boys, whose minds overleaped the long roll of ages
which had elapsed, and conjured up for them the rock city occupied by a
busy population. Then came the alarm of danger, the surprise made by
the active enemy, and then the fierce defence of the first standing, the
fight on the lower terrace, and the desperate defence of cell after
cell. Then the fight for the next, and afterwards the escalading of the
staircase in the great square hole, down into which Chris seemed to se