Part 58 (1/2)

”He means downward,” said Briscoe, laughing, and, the regular shaft being found, they descended to the next terrace and began to explore.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

THE TEMPLE OF IDOLS.

Working now upon a regular plan, the party began at one end of the terrace and examined each cell in turn.

They had proceeded about a third of the way towards the other end, when, to the surprise of all, although the openings like windows continued in a regular row, the doorways ceased altogether, and when an attempt to peer in at window after window was made, nothing whatever could be seen, for within all was deep silent gloom.

They soon found that about a third part in the centre of the two-hundred-feet-long terrace was like this: then the doorways began again and continued right away to the end.

”Here, I want to see what's inside that middle part,” said Briscoe. ”I propose that I have a rope round my waist, and that I climb in, and you lower me down till I holloa out.”

”And I propose,” said Sir Humphrey, ”that we leave that till another day. Let's go down to the next terrace.”

”At your orders, sir,” said the American quietly. ”I can wait.”

The opening leading to the next terrace was sought for after the last cells had been examined, and when discovered it was found to contain nothing whatever but the crumbling dust of ages and the traces left by birds; while, upon descending to this last terrace but one, they saw that the construction was precisely the same as that of the terrace they had just left--the central part being pierced only with windows, doored cells being on either side.

”I feel more and more that I want to see what's inside there,” said Briscoe.

”Well, we'll have plenty of time to do so some other day, for we are not going to move away from this place just yet,” said Brace merrily. ”Wait till tomorrow, and we'll go in together. I fancy that we shall find it is a temple, and full of mummies.”

”Like as not,” said Briscoe; ”and if it is we shall find no end of interesting things wrapped up with them, I should say. I daresay these people did like the Egyptians used to do.”

”Now,” said Sir Humphrey, as the last cell was examined, ”one more terrace, and we shall have done all but this centre, and I propose to leave that till to-morrow.”

”No,” cried Brace and Briscoe, in a breath.

”I want to sleep to-night,” said the latter, ”and I can't with this mystery on my brain.”

”Very well, then; we'll eat a bit of lunch, and then examine that.”

As soon as the party had disposed of their meal, they left the entrance to the shaft, walked along to the end of the terrace, and began to examine the first cell.

Here a surprise awaited them, for the cell was double, had two windows and a door at either end, there being no dividing wall, only a curious construction in the middle, but so crumbled away that for some minutes it was examined in vain, the loose stones about turned over and over, and the dust raked here and there.

”I know,” cried Brace at last: ”it has been a kitchen.”

”Right,” said Briscoe: ”must have been something of that sort. Let's get on.”

The next place was entered, and proved to be also double, but with only one entrance, and that narrow.

Brace was the first to enter, and after a glance round and upward to see if the roof had fallen in, he stood looking down at a heap of stones which were thickly covered with the dust that had crumbled down and acc.u.mulated.

”There's nothing to see here,” he cried; ”and the windows are nearly choked up with growth.”

”Yes, come back; these places are all the same,” said Briscoe, gripping him tightly by the arm; but, as he made way for Brace to pa.s.s him, and the rest went on, he stooped down quickly and picked up a piece from the heap of dust-covered stones and placed it in his pocket.

”Why did you do that?” said Brace, in a low voice.