Grilly ran in and out of the dark passage quite frequently, both that evening and the next morning, evidently evincing a desire that the descent should be made without delay, which convinced me that he had come through all the darkness which yet lay between us and deliverance.

The sun had reached the zenith when I at last bade farewell to the light and resolutely determined to proceed.

“Good-bye, Pippity!  We shall meet you below.  Fly down, get everything ready for our reception, and have the table well supplied with the choicest fruits that you can find.”

But Pippity clung to me, and would not leave.  “I will go with you!  I want to go!” implored the bird.

No expostulation could deter him from accompanying us.

Grilly led the way; and when we lost the light, he squealed and chattered, and frequently ran back to make sure that Pippity and I were following him.  I kept close to the wall on my left.  We passed over the steep place.  Still I kept close to the wall.  The wall was on my left—­still on my left.  We were going at a pretty pace, as the monkey was continually urging us forward.  We could not go fast enough for him.  All at once he squealed significantly.  He ran back to me.  He took hold of my hand, and leading me slowly forward a few paces, I found there were three diverging passages.  He drew me into the middle one.  Then we resumed our quick gait, and, for some little time, all appeared to be plain sailing again.

It may be asked, why did I allow myself to be guided by a thoughtless monkey?  But here, in this darkness, was not reason entirely at sea?  Might not instinct be superior to reason and avail something?  I abandoned myself entirely to its mysterious power.  I had faith in it.  Grilly proceeded with such confidence that I could not but trust him.

We had been plodding our way through the darkness for about four hours, I thought, when Grilly gave a loud shriek, and, running back to us, led us hurriedly forward; light became faintly visible; we ascended a few steps through a very narrow passage; we came abruptly to a stop; the monkey grasped something that hung down from above, and sprang upward with the agility of his nature.  We saw him high above our heads climbing through a square opening of light.  Immediately, he was descending again.

“Why, Pippity,” I cried, “we are at the bottom!  Up there is our palace!”

“Of course it is!” shrieked the parrot, in a tone which sounded more like a shout of joy than the voice of a bird; and, clinging to one of a number of long grass stems that could now be distinctly seen hanging from the top, he climbed up with bill and claws as handsomely as any parrot ever did the like, crying as he went: 

“Come along, Frank!  We’re all right!” Grilly was now down, too; and, reaching me his hand, he would fain have tried to pull me to the top.  But I gave him to understand that I could very well take care of myself, and up I went by means of hands and feet—­the monkey all capers, the parrot all talk, the man thankful—­and when we stood in our grand old palace once more, three more thoroughly delighted creatures never were seen.