ny dust, but it seems to me that we can walk right back
among those two rows of images to the altar. I want to see what those
things are round about it."

"Well, let's take hold of hands and try," replied Brace. "We can try
every step before us with the butts of our guns."

"Be careful," cried Sir Humphrey.

"Yes; we'll mind," said Brace. "Let the men throw on more dead dry
stuff; Lynton; and only a little at a time so as to keep up a good
light."

"All right, sir," was the response, and more flame and light and less
smoke was the result, while more light came in from the windows above,
for as the hot acrid smoke poured out the leafage writhed and crinkled
up, taking up half the space it had occupied before.

There was nothing to hinder the advance, as Brace and Briscoe carefully
felt their way between the two rows of menacing figures, till they
reached the square elevation, a good ten feet high, and then found that
they could ascend a flight of steps thick with powdered stone.

At the broad landing at the top the altar was about waist-high, and now
for the first time they made out that at the back there was a big
sitting figure, whose breast seemed to be covered with a kind of rayed
shield; but everything was indistinct in the flickering light, and the
figure was absolutely clothed in dust.

Just then Briscoe stretched out his left hand and laid it upon one of
the objects which stood in a row on either side of the altar.

The next moment he began to breathe hard as if he were about to have a
fit.

"What's the matter?" said Brace anxiously; "overcome by the heat and
smoke?"

"No, no," whispered Briscoe hoarsely. "Touch that thing nearest to
you."

Brace did as was suggested, and found that it was heavy, but that he
could move it.

"Why, it isn't stone," he said, "but metal. It must be some kind of
ornament."

"Yes," said Briscoe, in a hoarse whisper, "and that kitchen place we
went in first was a foundry; that next place where you spoke of a
rubbish heap was all ore. I picked up a bit, as you know, and it's
rich. Brace, my lad, we've found the Spaniards' El Dorado, and these
ornaments we have just touched are solid gold."

"Impossible!" said Brace, in an awe-stricken whisper.

"'Tisn't, lad. Look now the light's stronger. That squatting figure
with the thing like a rayed shield over his breast isn't only stone, for
I'd bet my last dollar that the shield's a golden sun."

"Well?" cried the