"Say, will we ever get to the bottom?" asked Ned, when they had counted several hundred steps. "Maybe this goes down to the middle of the earth."
"Well, ef it do I'm gwine right along!" called Eradicate. "I's gwine t' hab one ob dem gold images or bust!"
"And I'm with you!" cried Tom. "We'll have to get to the bottom sooner or later."
Hardly had he spoken than he came to the last step, and saw stretching off before him a long tunnel, straight and level, lined on both sides, and bottom, with smooth stones that gleamed like marble.
"Now we are really in the tunnel," declared Ned. "I wonder what's at the end?"
"The city of gold, of course," answered Tom confidently.
Eagerly they hurried on. There was a slightly musty smell to the air, but it was fresher than might have been expected.
Suddenly Tom, who was in advance, uttered a cry. It sounded like one of alarm, and Ned yelled:
"What's the matter?"
"Look here!" cried Tom. They hurried up to him, to find him standing before a sort of niche in the wall. And the niche was lined with a yellow metal that gleamed like gold, while in it was one of the golden images, the second one they had seen, and the third they heard about.