e stood upright, filling the passage as far as
possible, while Charteris opened the lantern the merest slit, and
turned it on the man's face.

"He's safe. I thought that knock I gave him on the floor must have
damaged him considerably. It was him or me. He sprang at me as soon
as I got inside, and if I hadn't got my hand over his mouth he would
have given the alarm. That handicapped me, too--having to hold him, I
mean--and he wriggled like an eel. Well, come on. Now look here, Hal;
you ain't going to walk behind me down this passage with your sword
drawn. You'd have me spitted like a lark if we were attacked either in
front or behind. I'll go first with my sword, you'll come after with
the lantern--shut, if you please. If I want light, I'll tell you fast
enough. Got your Colt ready--not out?"

Gerrard's revolver was ready to his hand, but he realised that it was
out of the question to hold it as he felt his way in the dark, and
after making sure that his sword was loose in its sheath, he followed
Charteris, carrying only the lantern. When they had explored the
passage before, with plenty of light, it had seemed to them that the
walls and floor were astonishingly smooth, but now, feeling and groping
their way along in pitch darkness, the number of obstacles over which
they stumbled, and projections with which they came into violent
contact, was extraordinary. The air of the place was close, too, and
between their exertions and their anxiety, they were soon dripping with
perspiration. Charteris called a halt at last.

"By Jove, it's just struck me what a do it would be if they had laid a
trap for us!" he muttered. "Quite a shallow hole would bring us down
on top of on another, and we should be at their mercy."

"Oh, go on, and don't _buck_!" said Gerrard irritably.

"Why, your voice is shaking, Hal! 'Pon my word, if I didn't know you,
I should think----" He stopped abruptly, for Gerrard had gripped his
shoulder.

"Bob, did you hear something?"

"Not I. You heard your heart beating, perhaps."

"Oh, drop it! It sounded like the ring of metal on stone--as if a
sword had knocked against the wall."

"Kuku-ud-din or Amrodh Chand may have followed us."

"They swore they wouldn't. Besides, Bob, it was quite near at hand,
and they could not have caught us up in the dark. There was no sign of
them at the entrance."

"Quite so. Well, shall we wait and trip him up?"

"No, he will hear--guess we are