“If Beowald had not come when he did, we should all have been drowned by now,” said Paul, in a choking voice. “Oh, Beowald — however was it you came down there just at that moment?”
Far away, down the passage, the muffled roar of the water could still be heard. Beowald’s voice rose clearly above it:
“The search party went down to this cave and to the waterfall cave, but they could not find you. They are seeking for you still out on the mountain. I was anxious, and when I came into the temple-cave, I felt that I must come down by myself, though I was afraid. That is how I found you.”
“We have had such adventures!” said Mike, beginning to feel quite a hero. “We’ve been to the Secret Forest, Beowald!”
“That is marvellous,” said the blind goatherd. “Surely no man has even set foot there before!”
“Oh, yes!” said Paul. “The robbers live there, Beowald. They must have lived there for years and years. Ranni, will the robbers ever be able to come up the mountain river now, climbing along that ledge, to get to Killimooin this side?”
“Never,” said Ranni. “We are well rid of them!”
Little by little the boys stopped trembling from their exertions, and their hearts beat less fast. They began to feel able to stand. Mike got up and found that he was quite all right again.
“I want to get back to the castle,” he said. “I want to see the girls and tell them all that has happened to us. My word, won’t they be jealous of our adventures!”
“I want something to eat,” said Paul. “I’m terribly hungry. I shall ask Yamen to give me the very nicest, most delicious food she’s got.”