The young Englishman was so badly dazed that it was a minute or two before he could arise to his feet.
He was in total darkness, and could not hear a sound beyond the beating of his heart, which was now throbbing away like a triphammer.
"Joe!" he called. "I say, Joe, where are you?"
But there was no response.
Jack now became very uneasy.
He was more frightened than he had ever been in his whole life before.
There was something so weird and mysterious about his situation that he was completely unnerved.
Suddenly it occurred to him to light a match.
With trembling hands he did so.
The first objects to meet his gaze were his revolvers lying at his feet.