evidently distant, but still plainly heard as it
echoed along the ravine.

"It is some beast of prey, but it will not come near us," said my uncle,
to encourage Mrs Landell.

"Harry, what is it?" whispered Lilla.

Her soft arm was passed round my neck as she clung, trembling, to me,
unable to master her agitation.

"We must push on," I said.

Once more the mules were in motion when the cry rang out again, louder
and clearer this time.

I did not answer Lilla's question, for I thought it better not; but I
had my own thoughts upon the subject, and I was wondering whether my
uncle suspected the meaning of the cry, when I was startled by a voice
which seemed to rise out of the darkness.

"Mas'r Harry--Mas'r Harry! I shall never forgive myself. Only to think
of me being the one as tied the last knot, and then never to think of
gagging him. He'll be there shouting till he brings down all the
Indians within twenty miles. Let's make haste, for I sha'n't breathe
till we get out of this great long furrer here."

The darkness was still so thick that we could hardly see the bushes
against which we brushed, while even when passing beneath dense masses
of foliage there seemed to be no difference. A hundred enemies might
have been right in front of us, and we should have walked right into
their midst.

It was a daring adventure; but it was only by keeping on that we could
hope to escape, and if the black darkness did not prove our friend until
we were clear of the ravine, I felt that we could hardly hope to get
away.

The cries still continued at intervals; but now every cry only seemed to
nerve us to greater exertion, and at last they sounded but faintly, as,
under the impression that we were now past the entrance to the rift, I
was about to tell Tom to try and bear off to the right, if the
undergrowth would allow. We had all drawn up, and the mules were
reaching down their heads, tempted by the dewy grass, when Tom gave a
warning whisper; and directly after, just to our left, came the sound of
bodies moving through the bushes, coming nearer and nearer, till about
abreast, when they turned off again, and seemed to be proceeding up the
ravine towards the cavern.

It was a painful five minutes as we stood there, trembling lest one of
the mules should shake buckle or strap; for no one there, on afterwards
comparing notes, had a doubt as to the cause of the sounds. It was
evidently a body of some half dozen men maki