There was silence, broken by panting and scuffling as of two men engaged in a struggle.
Then Sergeant James said hoarsely, “All right, sir?”
“Yes,” panted Lennox, “but I thought I was gone.”
“Who has got that other lantern?” asked the captain.
“It went out, sir,” came in a husky tone from its bearer.
“Bah!” exclaimed Captain Roby. “Here, two of you make your way back to the top; be smart, and bring two more lanterns.”
There was a low, hissing sound as of men all drawing in a deep breath at the same time, and before the captain could repeat his command a peculiar sound came up the hole.
“Look out!” cried Lennox. “Bayonets here! Some one is coming up.”
Sergeant James sank upon his knees in the darkness, felt about for the edge of the hole, and then leaning over, seized hold of the tree-trunk, and whispered, “Some one’s trying to drag it down, sir.” Then in a stentorian voice: “Ahoy there! Fire straight down, my lads!”
There was a final jerk given to the trunk, next a grating and scratching sound against the wall, and then a rushing noise caused by the dislodging of a stone which fell with a crash, sending echoes repeating themselves far below, and after what seemed to be a measurable space of time there was a dull plosh as the stone plunged into water.