They now set forward, feeling their way with the greatest care; but in the dense darkness the task of making their way among the boulders was difficult in the extreme.  They had proceeded but a short distance when a loud yell rose from the height above them.  It was repeated again and again, and was answered by shouts from the opposite side and from the mouth of the ravine.

“By Astarte!” Malchus exclaimed, “they have found out that we have escaped already.”

It was so.  One of the natives had crept forward along the path, hoping to find the sentry asleep, or to steal up noiselessly and stab him.  When he got to the angle of the rock he could see no form before him, nor hear the slightest sound.  Creeping forward he found the platform deserted.  He listened attentively at the entrance to the cave, and the keen ear of the savage would have detected had any been slumbering there; but all was still.

He rose to his feet with the intention of creeping into the cave, when his head struck against something.  He put up his hand and felt the rope, and saw how the fugitives had escaped.  He at once gave the alarm to his comrades.  In a minute or two a score of men with blazing brands came running along the path.  On seeing the rope, they entered the cave, and found that their prey had really escaped.

Malchus and his companion had not moved after the alarm was given.

“We had better be going, my lord,” the Arab said as he saw the men with torches retracing their steps along the brow.  “They will soon be after us.”

“I think not, Nessus.  Their chance of finding us among these boulders in the dark would be small, and they would offer such good marks to our arrows that they would hardly enter upon it.  No, I think they will wait till daybreak, planting a strong force at the mouth of the ravine, and along both sides of the end, wherever an ascent could be made.  Hark, the men on the heights there are calling to others along the brow.”

“Very well, my lord,” Nessus said, seating himself on a rock, “then we will sell our lives as dearly as possible.”

“I hope it has not come to that, Nessus.  There is a chance of safety for us yet.  The only place they are not likely to look for us is the cave, and as we have climbed down from above with the rope, there will be no difficulty in ascending.”

Nessus gave an exclamation, which expressed at once admiration of his leader’s idea and gratification at the thought of escape.  They began without delay to retrace their steps, and after some trouble again found the rope.

Nessus mounted first; his bare feet enabled him to grip any inequality of the surface of the rock.  Whenever he came to a ledge which afforded him standing room he shook the rope, and waited until Malchus joined him.