‘Are you badly hurt?’ he called out.
‘Not much hurt,’ replied Yacka. ‘My leg pains, but is not broken.’
‘It is a big drop from here,’ said Edgar, ‘but it does not look a dangerous place to fall on. I’ll chance it.’
He let himself down to his full length, and then dropped.
‘It is quite safe,’ he shouted to Will.
Will followed, and they found they were on a bed of moss and ferns that had flourished in the darkness, and had been kept green by the dampness.
Yacka was not much hurt. He had slipped, and fallen a considerable distance, and his descent had been checked by a projection in the rock. From this he had gradually descended, much in the same way as Will and Edgar.
‘Where are we?’ said Edgar. ‘This cavern must have been in its present state a long time.’
‘It has,’ said Yacka. ‘This is the place I was to show you. The White Spirit of Enooma guarded the entrance. The place where she rested formed the opening. She fell down here, and is gone; Enooma will be seen no more. When her treasure is gone there will be no need for her to guard it. Her task is ended, and she will watch no more.’
‘If the figure fell on the moss and ferns it would not be much injured,’ said Edgar; ‘we will search for Enooma while you rest here.’