I attempted to drop on my knees at that minute, but the moment was disastrous to the ambush which we had planned. As I moved my hand forward I dislodged a skull that was evidently resting upon a shelf somewhat higher than the one before us. With a noise that appeared terrific in that place, the object crashed down upon the stone, and the bobbing lantern halted about fifteen paces in front of us.
Leith broke the silence that followed. "What was that?" he asked.
"A bat," answered Soma.
"I don't think so," droned Leith. "Lift up the light."
Soma raised the lantern high above his head, and as he did so Holman fired.
The echoes were terrific. High in the vaulted roof of the place echoes answered each other with the sharp reports of Maxims, and the thick air shivered.
Leith's voice roared an order. "Put out the light!"
Soma immediately crashed the lantern upon the ground, and I heard Holman groan.
"I missed him!" he whispered. "Move along a little, Verslun; they've got a line on our position."
We didn't move a minute too soon. Half a dozen shots broke out from the spot where the light of the lantern had been suddenly quenched, and we fired twice and shifted ground the moment we pulled the triggers.