“I think,” said Klaas, “she say this is the last place of hiding; and the Amazulus will find us if we stay here.”
“Go down, then.”
“Neh, sieur. It is too dark.”
“It is no blacker than a ship’s hold. Stand away;” and, dropping his feet through, Webster lowered himself till he touched ground, when immediately Umkomaas almost fell on top of him, and he was obliged to catch the helpless chief and stagger back with him.
Before she could utter a word of protest, Laura was seized by wiry arms and dropped into the pit, and the Gaika, with a grunt of anger at such treatment of his mistress, followed her. Then the old woman quickly slid the stone over the opening, rapidly spread the sand above, and stood listening.
Hume had heard the exclamations, the excited whispers, and a muffled cry from Webster calling his name, and in the silence which suddenly cut short this commotion he read some fresh calamity, and stood for a moment trembling violently. Then he groped once more to the hole, and, thrusting his head through, called softly:
“Laura!”
No answer came to the murmur.
“Webster!” he cried, a little louder. “Jim! are you there?”
“Ssh! be still,” came a suppressed cry in the native tongue.