Part 56 (1/2)

”What is it?” said Lawrence quickly.

”I do not know,” replied Yussuf. ”It is our discovery. It may be treasure; it may be anything. Say no word to a soul, and you and I will get a lamp, escape from the prison to-night, and come and examine it, and see what it is. It may be a way out.”

Lawrence would gladly have gone on at once, but Yussuf signed to him to be silent; and it was as well, for he had hardly time to throw himself down on a block of stone, and sham sleep, when the guards came sauntering in and looked suspiciously round. Then, not seeing two of their prisoners, they came on cautiously, and peered over the stones that hid them from where the professor was drawing, to find Yussuf apparently asleep, and Lawrence sharpening his pocket-knife upon a stone.

One of the men came forward and s.n.a.t.c.hed the knife away, saying in his own tongue that boys had no business with knives, after which he stalked off and returned to his old place outside.

”You see,” said Yussuf quietly, ”it was no time now for examining the place; wait till night.”

For the first time since he had been a prisoner the hours pa.s.sed slowly to Lawrence. It seemed as if it would never be night, and every time he met the professor's or Mr Burne's eye, they seemed to be taking him to task for keeping a secret from them.

Then, too, Mrs Chumley appeared to be suspecting him, and Chumley drew him aside as if to cross-examine him; but it was only to confide a long story about how severely he had been snubbed that day for wanting to follow the professor to the ruins where he was making his drawings.

At last, though, the guards had thrust in their villainous faces for the last time, according to their custom, and all had lain down as if to sleep.

An hour must have pa.s.sed, and Lawrence lay with his heart beating, waiting for a summons from Yussuf; but it seemed as if one would never come, and the lad was about to give up and conclude that their guide had decided not to go that night, when a hand came out of the darkness and touched his face, while a pair of lips almost swept his ear, and a voice whispered:

”Rise softly, and follow me.”

Lawrence needed no second invitation, and, rising quickly, he followed Yussuf to where the rug hung over the door.

”Bend down low, and follow me,” whispered the Turk. ”The guards are nearly asleep.”

He drew the rug a little on one side, and Lawrence saw where the two men were huddled up in their sheepskin cloaks.

”Do as I do,” whispered Yussuf.

The moon was s.h.i.+ning, and the part where the guards sat was well in the light; but a black shadow was cast beneath the walls of the great building, and by stooping down and keeping in this, the evading pair were able to get beyond the ken of the guards, and though lights shone out from one ruined building, whether from fire or lamp could not be told, not a soul was about, and they were able to keep on till the inhabited part was left behind and the old temple reached.

”It was a dangerous thing to do, Lawrence effendi,” said the guide. ”I repented promising to bring you, for the men might have fired.”

”Never mind that,” whispered Lawrence. ”We are safe now. Have you brought a light?”

”Yes,” was the reply; and, by the moonlight which shone through a gap, Yussuf led the way among the broken stones to the back of the old altar, where, after feeling about, he found the side of the stone, lifted it right up, and leaned it against a broken column.

Then, after a word of warning, he stooped down and struck a match, but the draught that blew up the opening extinguished it on the instant.

Another and another shared the same fate, after giving them a glimpse of a ragged set of stone steps; and as it was evident that no light could be obtained that way, Yussuf took the little lamp he had brought into a corner of the building, lit it, and sheltering it inside his loose garment, he came back to where Lawrence waited listening.

”I'll go first,” said Yussuf. ”Mind how you come.”

He lowered himself into the hole, and descended a few steps.

”It is quite safe,” he said. ”Come down;” and Lawrence descended to stand by his side.

”Shelter this lamp a minute,” whispered Yussuf. ”I must close the stone, or the light will be out.”

Lawrence took the lamp, the perspiration standing on his forehead the while, as he felt that this was something like being Aladdin, and descending into the cave in search of the wonderful lamp.

”Suppose,” he thought, ”that Yussuf should step out and leave him in this horrible place to starve and die. n.o.body would ever guess that he was there, and no one would hear his cries. What was the place--a tomb?