"'T is Beelzebub!"
The sleeping priest leaped to his feet, glaring about in bewilderment. Where I lay outstretched it required an instant to gather myself for action, and, before I could place restraining grip upon him, the fellow saw us both, and, with echoing scream of terror, fled frantically up the dark entry to the right. I made desperate effort to halt him, but my swift-flung knife found bloodless sheath within the soft earth of the wall.
"Zounds! are you a screeching woman with no control over your tongue?" I exclaimed angrily, panting for breath. "'T is likely that priest will rouse the tribe, and we shall have a run for it. What caused you to make such an uproar?"
"Saints of Israel!" he said, repentantly enough, his glinting eyes still roving over the silent, leering image, "never before did I behold such monster as that. For the moment, I believed it Satan himself. But, for the love of the prophets, what is this?" He began eagerly sniffing the air with his great nose like a pointer dog. "'T is food I scent; that which will stay a famished stomach. I beg you, friend, pause shortly while I satisfy in some measure the yearnings of the body. Then shall I be better fitted to withstand the temptations of the world."
"Odds, man, I hope so," I responded gloomily, watching his eager attack upon the supply outspread before the idol. "So far you have acted like a lunkhead, and I begin to regret making you comrade in this adventure. If a full stomach inspires to a man's duty, it would be policy always to bear food about with you."
"Ay, 'tis strange, indeed," he mumbled, his mouth too full for clear speech, "that one who ever strives to live in spiritual exercise should be so completely the bound slave of mere bodily indulgence. Yet I did inherit all such ungodly tendency from my mother who was of Dutch blood, as round of form as a Holland churn, while my father was spare of build, and throve marvellously upon the water of life."
Leaving the engrossed sectary to refresh himself to the full of his capacity, I anxiously set to work searching after some species of cross-tunnel, shrewdly guessing this underground altar masked a junction point, from whence some such branch passageway would lead toward the open air. With diligent care I passed along the walls, testing each separate section, yet discovering nothing to reward my efforts, until, finally creeping between the spreading feet of the effigy, which appeared to sway unsteadily, I lifted the crimson drapery hanging down its back, thus disclosing an opening, barely sufficient to permit the easy passage of a small man while lying flat.
"Most noble scavenger," I said, feeling in better humor from this chance discovery of the means of escape, "are the wants of nature finally satisfied? For if so, I have found a path which will lead us from this hole of iniquity."
"Nay, call it not so while it offers such excellent bodily nurture," he replied with fervor, cocking one eye up at me, yet keeping both hands busily employed in crowding his pockets full of eatables. "Say rather the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, or a well of water in desert places. I shall be ready to accompany you upon a journey after I lay in these few necessaries. The Lord hath given me manna in the wilderness—even as the ravens fed Elijah so hath He succored me—and 'twould be sin to make mock of His mercy."
"Very well; only hurry and follow my lead."