“It is quite safe,” he said. “Come down;” and Lawrence descended to stand by his side.
“Shelter this lamp a minute,” whispered Yussuf. “I must close the stone, or the light will be out.”
Lawrence took the lamp, the perspiration standing on his forehead the while, as he felt that this was something like being Aladdin, and descending into the cave in search of the wonderful lamp.
“Suppose,” he thought, “that Yussuf should step out and leave him in this horrible place to starve and die. Nobody would ever guess that he was there, and no one would hear his cries. What was the place—a tomb? And had Yussuf gone and left him?”
There was a low dull hollow sound as the stone descended into its place, and a cry rose to the lad’s lips, but it had no utterance, for Yussuf said softly from above:
“Now you may show the light, and we can see where we are.”
Lawrence drew a breath of relief as he took the light from his breast, and saw that he was standing upon a very rough flight of stone steps, with the rugged wall of rock on either side.
Yussuf took the lamp and held it up, showing a rough arch of great stones over their heads, and the square opening over a rough landing where they had descended, while on either side the rock looked as if at some time it had been split, and left a space varying from four to six feet wide, the two sides being such that, if by some convulsion of nature they were closed, they would have fitted one into the other.
“Follow close behind me,” said Yussuf. “This must lead into some vault or perhaps burial-place. You are not frightened?”
“Yes, I am,” said Lawrence in a low tone.