“It’s taken already,” he answered.  “It fluttered so that I had to sit on it to hide it from the priest, and when he had gone it was dead.  Look,” and he opened the linen bag he held, and showed her the dove cold and stiff.

“As you did not mean to kill it, that makes a difference,” said Tua judicially.  “Well, perhaps my Ka did not mean that we should not have one peep, and it is a pity to waste the poor pigeon, which then will have died for nothing.”

Rames agreed that it would be the greatest of pities, so the two children slipped away through the trees of the garden into the shadow of the wall, along which they crept till they came to the bronze door.  Then guiltily enough Rames put the great key into the lock, and with the help of a piece of wood which he had also made ready, that he set in the ring of the key to act as a lever, the two of them turning together shot back the heavy bolts.

Taking out the key lest it should betray them, they opened the door a little and squeezed themselves through into the forbidden place.  No sooner had they done so than almost they wished themselves back again, for there was something about the spot that frightened them, to say nothing of the horrible smell which made Tua feel ill.  It was a great tank, with a little artificial island in its centre, full of slimy water that looked almost black because of the shadow of the high walls, and round it ran a narrow stone path.  At one spot in this path, however, where grew some dank-looking trees and bushes, was a slope, also of stone, and on the slope with its prow resting in the water a little boat, and in the boat, oars.  But of the crocodile there was nothing to be seen.

“It is asleep somewhere,” whispered Tua, “let us go away, I do not like this stench.”

“Stench,” answered Rames.  “I smell nothing except the lilies on the water.  Let us wake it up, it would be silly to go now.  Surely you are not afraid, O Star.”

“Oh, no!  I am not afraid,” answered Tua proudly.  “Only wake it up quickly, please.”

What Rames did not add was that it would be impossible to retreat as the door had closed behind them, and there was no keyhole on its inner side.

So they walked round the tank, but wherever it might lurk, the sleeping crocodile refused to wake.

“Let us get into the boat and look for it,” suggested Rames.  “Perhaps it is hiding on the island.”

So he led her to the stone slope, where to her horror Tua saw the remains of the crocodile’s last meal, a sight that caused her to forget her doubts and jump into the boat very quickly.  Then Rames gave it a push and sprang in after her, so that they found themselves floating on the water.  Now, standing in the bow, the boy took an oar and paddled round the island, but still there were no signs of the crocodile.

“I don’t believe it is here at all,” he said, recovering his courage.

“You might try the pigeon,” suggested Tua, who, now that there was less smell, felt her curiosity returning.