screaming like a thousand furies, other fragments of rock were torn out and sent whirling down, to increase the terrible din rising up from the cauldron below, where the waters once again rushed and boiled through the dark tunnels, after their terrific leap.  The whole upper space of the great vault was filled with a mist, which condensed and fell in a fine rain upon the three crouching figures, deafened by the uproar, and expecting every moment to be involved in one complete break-up of the interior walls under the smashing blows of the flood.  As they crawled back into the passage for safety, some solid object crashed against the rock near them, and the broken blade of a canoe paddle shot past them into the passage.

It was sign of the terrible fate that must have overtaken those of Hassan’s men who had entered the valley by canoe.  It served as a spur to urge them to escape.

They crept into the Cave of Skulls, and there finding some relief from the uproar, Mr. Hume asked Compton if he knew the way out.  Compton nodded, lit the last of his candles, and, guided by marks he had made on the wall, led the way out and down to a spot where he pointed to a hole several feet above the ground.  They passed through that, and after a long and wearying march—­during the last part of which the Hunter again carried Venning—­they crawled out into the old cave, and through that on to the ledge overlooking the valley.

A glance took in the position.  Muata’s people were gathered on the tableland where stood the new village, watching the sinking of the river, as unaccountable to them as had been the swift rising in the night that had cut them off and marked them out as easy victims to the men in the canoes, which Hassan, in his great cunning, had brought up to complete his plan for the complete destruction of the community.  Of Hassan’s men, and the canoes, carried up through the forest with so much labour, there was no trace.  Men and canoes must have been sucked into the canon, dashed to pieces, and swept down into the dark, probably to emerge in the Deadman’s Pool.

Mr. Hume gave a hail to the people below.  “Bayate!” they shouted, recognizing him.  Some of the men swam across and came up.

They made a humble salute to the white men.  “Great ones, the people are afraid.  The earth shook and the water arose, and out of the dark came men in canoes.  We were afraid.  It was witchcraft.  Again the earth shook, the waters sank, and the canoes were swept away.”

“Say to the women they may go about their work in peace, for the white chiefs keep watch, and all is well.  And say to the headman to send up food, fruit, milk, and the flesh of a kid.”

These orders were promptly obeyed, and the three were soon busy at a good meal, that put life and strength into them, so that when they feasted their eyes upon the wonderful beauty of-the garden-valley, the horrors of the underground world swiftly faded into the background, phantoms of reality.