The lad was bewildered, almost daft, and small wonder. He lurched about until at last he stumbled and fell across Mori. The shock brought the young Japanese to his senses. Then Sumo scrambled to his feet.
Panic-stricken, they started to run. Slipping, staggering, sorely bruising themselves against the sides of the passage, they fled in overwhelming terror. A yard, ten yards, a hundred yards, and then they brought up with a crash against an impenetrable barrier of rock and earth.
The exit was closed!
CHAPTER XXXI. RALPH SECURES REINFORCEMENTS.
"The exit is closed!"
The cry came simultaneously from all three. Shrill and with a terrible weight of despair it echoed through the tunnel. Then came a weird crooning. It was the death-song of Sumo's people.
Mori stopped him with a fierce command, saying, harshly:
"Silence, dog! Would you add to our misery? Silence, I say!"