“Only don’t lose the way, Stubbs,” said Dick, smiling; “I’ve an appointment to meet the Rajah this afternoon.”
“That’s all right, you trust me.”
It was a change from the rather monotonous round, of barrack duties, and, after a visit to the sergeant’s room, Dick followed him across the temple into the half-darkness of the great building behind the monstrous elephant-headed figure, in and out among a perfect labyrinth of grotesque carvings—illustrating, apparently, passages in the Hindu mythology—till all at once Stubbs paused opposite a flat pillar, and turned as if to speak to his companion.
“You get a good view backward from here, sir,” he said in his ordinary tone of voice; and Dick looked back, to see how the pale light struck in from one side at the bottom of an irregular vista while they stood almost in darkness. “See that stone figure squatting down?”
“I can just make out the shape, but it is not worth seeing,” said Dick.
“No, sir,” replied Stubbs; “makes a good seat, though. Only grim darkness and mystery as these priests keep up to frighten the niggers. There isn’t one of ’em as would dare to come along here among these hundreds of ugly idols after the tales the priests tell them. But it’s all right; I don’t want for us to be followed. Now then, give me your hand; it’s a bit of a squeeze through a narrow crack, and then you have to go down twenty steps, but if you hold on to me I’ll guide you.”
Dick grasped the sergeant’s hand, and felt himself drawn through a narrow opening just behind the flat pillar; then they turned at right angles to the left and went on a dozen feet or so, when they again turned at right angles and went sideways some forty or fifty feet between stone walls, the opening being barely sufficient to allow the sergeant to get along, while the darkness was now profound.
“Rather a tight fit for me, sir,” said Stubbs; “easy enough for you. Now wait a bit while I get a light.”
He passed in front of Dick, and, taking out the materials, he struck a light, blew up the match, and applied it to the wick of a curiously-shaped lamp standing upon a ledge above their heads, till the lamp burned with a clear, white flame.
“They keep it there on purpose,” said the sergeant, “just at the head of some steps. They’re a bit wider, but they don’t give you much room to get down.”