Frank picked up his rifle and cried:
“Come on, boys. Let’s have a look at those chaps.”
“Shall we go armed?” asked Randall.
“Of course. Men who have the nerve to confine white visitors in underground vaults to die of starvation are certainly men to be strongly dealt with.”
So Randall and Barney followed Frank up the mountain.
Pomp and the sailor remained to guard the Scorcher.
Up the crater ran the pursuers.
Yet they advanced cautiously, for they had no means of knowing what manner of weapons the fugitives had.
But before the summit was reached Frank received a surprise. He saw four men huddled behind a bowlder.
A voice in unmistakable English cried: