CHAPTER XII
THE DEN OF LIONS
We returned to the others and told them everything that we had learnedfrom Shadrach.
"What's your plan, Sergeant?" asked Oliver when he had heard. "Tell me,for I have none; my head is muddled."
"This, Captain, for what it is worth; that I should go down through thehole that Cat here speaks of, and get into the den. Then when they letdown the Professor, if they do, and pull up the gates, that I shouldkeep back the lions with my rifle while he bolts to the ladder which isready for him, and I follow if I can."
"Capital," said Orme, "but you can't go alone. I'll come too."
"And I also," I said.
"What schemes do you make?" asked Maqueda eagerly, for, of course, shecould not understand our talk.
We explained.
"What, my friend," she said to Oliver reproachfully, "would you riskyour life again to-night? Surely it is tempting the goodness of God."
"It would be tempting the goodness of God much more if I left my friendto be eaten by lions, Lady," he answered.
Then followed much discussions. In the end it was agreed that we shoulddescend to the level of the den, if this were possible; that Oliver andQuick should go down into the den with Japhet, who instantly volunteeredto accompany them, and that I, with some of the Mountaineers, shouldstop in the mouth of the hole as a reserve to cover their retreat fromthe lions. I pleaded to be allowed to take a more active part, but ofthis they would not hear, saying with some truth, that I was by far thebest shot of the three, and could do much more to help them from above,if, as was hoped, the moon should shine brightly.
But I knew they really meant that I was too old to be of service in suchan adventure as this. Also they desired to keep me out of risk.
Then came the question as to who should descend the last tunnel to theplace of operations. Oliver wished Maqueda to return to the top of thecliff and wait there, but she said at once that she could not think ofattempting the ascent without our aid; also that she was determined tosee the end of the matter. Even Joshua would not go; I think, that beingan unpopular character among them, he distrusted the Mountaineers, whoseduty it would have been to escort him.
It was suggested that he should remain where he was until we returned,if we did return, but this idea commended itself to him still less thanthe other. Indeed he pointed out with much truth what we had overlooked,namely, that now the Fung knew of the passage and were quite capableof playing our own game, that is, of throwing a bridge across from thesphinx's tail and attempting the storm of Mur.
"And then what should I do if they found me here alone?" he addedpathetically.
Maqueda answered that she was sure she did not know, but that meanwhileit might be wise to block the mouth of the tunnel by which we hadreached the plateau in such a fashion that it could not easily beforced.
"Yes," answered Oliver, "and if we ever get out of this, to blow theshaft in and make sure that it cannot be used."
"That shaft might be useful, Captain," said Quick doubtfully.
"There is a better way, Sergeant, if we want to mine under the sphinx;I mean through the Tomb of Kings. I took the levels roughly, and the endof it can't be far off. Anyhow, this shaft is of no more use to us nowthat the Fung have found it out."
Then we set to work to fill in the mouth of the passage with such loosestones as we could find. It was a difficult business, but in the end theMountaineers made a very fair job of it under our direction, piling therocks in such a fashion that they could scarcely be cleared away in anyshort time without the aid of explosives.
While this work was going on, Japhet, Shadrach, and the Sergeant incharge of him, undertook to explore the last shaft which led down to thelevel of the den. To our relief, just as we had finished building upthe hole, they returned with the news that now after they had removed afallen stone or two it was quite practicable with the aid of ropes andladders.
So, in the same order as before, we commenced its passage, and in abouthalf-an-hour, for it was under three hundred feet in depth, arrivedsafely at the foot. Here we found a bat-haunted place like a room thatevidently had been hollowed out by man. As Shadrach had said, at itseastern extremity was a large, oblong boulder, so balanced that if evenone person pushed on either of its ends it swung around, leaving oneach side a passage large enough to allow a man to walk through in acrouching attitude.
Very silently we propped open this primaeval door and looked out. Now thefull moon was up, and her brilliant light had begun to flood the gulf.By it we saw a dense shadow, that reached from the ground to threehundred feet or so above us. This we knew to be that thrown by theflanks of the gigantic sphinx which projected beyond the mountain ofstone whereon it rested, those flanks whence, according to Shadrach,Higgs would be lowered in a food-basket. In this shadow and on eitherside of it, covering a space of quite a hundred yards square, lay thefeeding-den, whence arose a sickly and horrible odour such as is commonto any place frequented by cats, mingled with the more pungent smell ofdecaying flesh.
This darksome den was surrounded on three sides by precipices, and onthe fourth, that toward the east, enclosed by a wall or barrier of rockpierced with several gates made of bars of metal, or so we judged by thelight that flowed through them.
From beyond this eastern wall came dreadful sounds of roars, snarls, andwhimperings. Evidently there the sacred lions had their home.
Only one more thing need be mentioned. On the rock floor almostimmediately beneath us lay remains which, from their torn clothes andhair, we knew must be human. As somebody explained, I think it wasShadrach, they were those of the man whom Orme had shot upon the tail ofthe sphinx, and of his companions who had been tilted off the ladder.
For awhile we gazed at this horrible hole in silence. Then Oliver tookout his watch, which was a repeater, and struck it.
"Higgs told me," he said, "that he was to be thrown to the lions twohours after moonrise, which is within fifteen minutes or so. Sergeant, Ithink we had better be getting ready."
"Yes, Captain," answered Quick; "but everything is quite ready,including those brutes, to judge by the noise they make, exceptingperhaps Samuel Quick, who never felt less ready for anything in hislife. Now then, Pussy, run out that ladder. Here's your rifle, Captain,and six reload clips of cartridges, five hollow-nosed bullets in each.You'll never want more than that, and it's no use carrying extra weight.In your right-hand pocket, Captain, don't forget. I've the same in mine.Doctor, here's a pile for you; laid upon that stone. If you lie there,you'll have a good light and rest for your elbow, and at this rangeought to make very pretty shooting, even in the moonlight. Best keepyour pistol on the safe, Captain; at least, I'm doing so, as we mightget a fall, and these new-fangled weapons are very hair-triggered.Here's Japhet ready, too, so give us your marching orders, sir, and wewill go to business; the Doctor will translate to Japhet."
"We descend the ladder," said Orme, "and advance about fifty paces intothe shadow, where we can see without being seen; where also, accordingto Shadrach, the food-basket is let down. There we shall stand and awaitthe arrival of this basket. If it contains the Professor, he whom theFung and the Abati know as Black Windows, Japhet, you are to seize himand lead, or if necessary carry, him to the ladder, up which some of themountaineers must be ready to help him. Your duty, Sergeant, and mine,also that of the Doctor firing from above, will be to keep off the lionsas best we can, should any lions appear, retreating as we fire. If thebrutes get one of us he must be left, since it is foolish that bothlives should be sacrificed needlessly. For the rest, you, Sergeant,and you, Japhet, must be guided by circumstances and act upon your owndiscretion. Do not wait for special orders from me which I may not beable to give. Now, come on. If we do not return, Adams, you will see theChild of Kings safely up the shafts and conduct her to Mur. Good-bye,Lady."
"Good-bye," answered Maqueda in a brave voice; I could not see herface in the darkness. "Presently, I am sure, you will return with yourbrother."
Just then Joshua broke in:
"I will not be outdone in courage by these Gentiles," he said. "Lackingtheir terrible weapons, I cannot advance into the den, but I willdescend and guard the foot of the ladder."
"Very well, sir," answered Orme in an astonished voice, "glad to haveyour company, I am sure. Only remember that you must be quick in goingup it again, since hungry lions are active, and let all take notice thatwe are not responsible for anything that may happen to you."
"Surely you had better stop where you are, my uncle," remarked Maqueda.
"To be mocked by you for ever after, my niece. No, I go to face thelions," and very slowly he crept through the hole and began to descendthe ladder. Indeed, when Quick followed after an interval he foundhim only half-way down, and had to hurry his movements by accidentallytreading on his fingers.
A minute or two later, peeping over the edge, I saw that they were allin the den, that is, except Joshua, who had reascended the ladder to theheight of about six feet, and stood on it face outward, holding to therock on either side with his hands as though he had been crucified.Fearing lest he should be seen there, even in the shadow, I suggested toMaqueda that she should order him either to go down, or to return, whichshe did vigorously, but without effect. So in the end we left him alone.
Meanwhile the three had vanished into the shadow of the sphinx, and wecould see nothing of them. The great round moon rose higher and higher,flooding the rest of the charnel-house with light, and, save for anoccasional roar or whimper from the lions beyond the wall, the silencewas intense. Now I could make out the metal gates in this wall, and evendark and stealthy forms which passed and repassed beyond their bars.Then I made out something else also, the figures of men gathering on thetop of the wall, though whence they came I knew not. By degrees theirnumber increased till there were hundreds of them, for the wall wasbroad as a roadway.
Evidently these were spectators, come to witness the ceremony ofsacrifice.
"Prince," I whispered to Joshua, "you must get down off the ladder oryou will betray us all. Nay, it is too late to come up here again, foralready the moonlight strikes just above your head. Go down, or we willcast the ladder loose and let you fall."
So he went down and hid himself among some ferns and bushes where wesaw no more of him for a while, and, to tell the truth, forgot hisexistence.
Far, far above us, from the back of the idol I suppose, came a faintsound of solemn chanting. It sank, and we heard shouts. Then suddenlyit swelled again. Now Maqueda, who knelt near me, touched my arm andpointed to the shadow which gradually was becoming infiltrated with themoonlight flowing into it from either side. I looked, and high inthe air, perhaps two hundred feet from the ground, saw something darkdescending slowly. Doubtless it was the basket containing Higgs, andwhether by coincidence or no, at this moment the lions on the fartherside of the wall burst into peal upon peal of terrific roaring. Perhapstheir sentries watching at the gate saw or smelt the familiar basket,and communicated the intelligence to their fellows.
Slowly, slowly it descended, till it was within a few feet of theground, when it began to sway backward and forward like a pendulum, ateach swing covering a wider arc. Presently, when it hung over the edgeof the shadow that was nearest to us, it was let down with a run andoverset, and out of it, looking very small in those vast surroundingsand that mysterious light, rolled the figure of a man. Although atthat distance we could see little of him, accident assured us of hisidentity, for as he rolled the hat he wore fell from him, and I knewit at once for Higgs's sun-helmet. He rose from the ground, limped veryslowly and painfully after the helmet, picked it up, and proceeded touse it to dust his knees. At this moment there was a clanking sound.
"Oh! they lift the gates!" murmured Maqueda.
Then followed more sounds, this time of wild beasts raging for theirprey, and of other human beasts shrieking with excitement on the wallabove. The Professor turned and saw. For a moment he seemed about torun, then changed his mind, clapped the helmet on his head, folded hisarms and stood still, reminding me in some curious way, perhaps, becauseof the shortness of his thick figure, of a picture I had seen of thegreat Napoleon contemplating a disaster.
To describe what followed is extremely difficult, for we watched notone but several simultaneous scenes. For instance, there were the lions,which did not behave as might have been expected. I thought that theywould rush through the doors and bound upon the victim, but whether itwas because they had already been fed that afternoon or because theythought that a single human being was not worth the trouble, they acteddifferently.
Through the open gates they came, in two indolent yellow lines, malelions, female lions, half-grown lions, cub lions that cuffed each otherin play, in all perhaps fifty or sixty of them. Of these only two orthree looked towards the Professor, for none of them ran or galloped,while the rest spread over the den, some of them vanishing into theshadow at the edge of the surrounding cliff where the moonlight couldnot reach.
Here one of them, at any rate, must have travelled fast enough, for itseemed only a few seconds later that we heard a terrific yell beneathus, and craning over the rock I saw the Prince Joshua running up theladder more swiftly than ever did any London lamplighter when I was aboy.
But quickly as he came, the long, thin, sinuous thing beneath camequicker. It reared itself on its hind legs, it stretched up a greatpaw--I can see the gleaming claws in it now--and struck or hooked atpoor Joshua. The paw caught him in the small of the back, and seemedto pin him against the ladder. Then it was drawn slowly downward,and heaven! how Joshua howled. Up came the other paw to repeat theoperation, when, stretching myself outward and downward, with an Abatiholding me by the ankles, I managed to shoot the beast through thehead so that it fell all of a heap, taking with it a large portion ofJoshua's nether garments.
A few seconds later he was among us, and tumbled groaning into a corner,where he lay in charge of some of the mountaineers, for I had no time toattend to him just then.
When the smoke cleared at length, I saw that Japhet had reached Higgs,and was gesticulating to him to run, while two lions, a male and afemale, stood at a little distance, regarding the pair in an interestedfashion. Higgs, after some brief words of explanation, pointed to hisknee. Evidently he was lamed and could not run. Japhet, rising to theoccasion, pointed to his back, and bent down. Higgs flung himself uponit, and was hitched up like a sack of flour. The pair began to advancetoward the ladder, Japhet carrying Higgs as one schoolboy carriesanother.
The lion sat down like a great dog, watching this strange proceedingwith mild interest, but the lioness, filled with feminine curiosity,followed sniffing at Higgs, who looked over his shoulder. Taking off hisbattered helmet, he threw it at the beast, hitting her on the head.She growled, then seized the helmet, playing with it for a moment asa kitten does with a ball of wool, and next instant, finding itunsatisfying, uttered a short and savage roar, ran forward, and crouchedto spring, lashing her tail. I could not fire, because a bullet thatwould hit her must first pass through Japhet and Higgs.
But, just when I thought that the end had come, a rifle went off in theshadow and she rolled over, kicking and biting the rock. Thereon theindolent male lion seemed to awake, and sprang, not at the men, but atthe wounded lioness, and a hellish fight ensued, of which the detailsand end were lost in a mist of dust and flying hair.
The crowd upon the wall, becoming alive to the real situation, began toscream in indignant excitement which quickly communicated itself tothe less savage beasts. These set up a terrible roaring, and ran about,keeping for the most part to the shadows, while Japhet and his burdenmade slow but steady progress toward the ladder.
Then from the gloom beneath the hind-quarters of the sphinx rose asound of rapid firing, and presently Orme and Quick emerged into themoonlight, followed by a number of angry lions that advanced in shortrushes. Evidently the pair had kept their heads, and were acting on aplan.
One of them emptied his rifle at the pursuing beas
ts, while the otherran back a few paces, thrusting in a fresh clip of cartridges as hewent. Then he began to fire, and his companion in turn retreated behindhim. In this way they knocked over a number of lions, for the range wastoo short for them to miss often, and the expanding bullets did theirwork very well, paralyzing even when they did not kill. I also openedfire over their heads, and, although in that uncertain light themajority of my shots did no damage, the others disposed of severalanimals which I saw were becoming dangerous.
So things went on until all four, that is, Japhet with Higgs uponhis back, and Orme and Quick, were within twenty paces of the ladder,although separated from each other by perhaps half the length of acricket pitch. We thought that they were safe, and shouted in our joy,while the hundreds of spectators on the wall who fortunately dared notdescend into the den because of the lions, which are undiscriminatingbeasts, yelled with rage at the imminent rescue of the sacrifice.
Then of a sudden the position changed. From every quarter fresh lionsseemed to arrive, ringing the men round and clearly bent on slaughter,although the shouting and the sound of firearms, which they had neverheard before, frightened them and made them cautious.
A half-grown cub rushed in and knocked over Japhet and Higgs. I firedand hit it in the flank. It bit savagely at its wound, then sprang on tothe prostrate pair, and stood over them growling, but in such pain thatit forgot to kill them. The ring of beasts closed in--we could see theiryellow eyes glowing in the gloom. Orme and Quick might have got throughby the help of their rifles, but they could not leave the others. Thedreadful climax seemed at hand.
"Follow me," said Maqueda, who all this while had watched panting at myside, and rose to run to the ladder. I thrust her back.
"Nay," I shouted. "Follow me, Abati! Shall a woman lead you?"
Of how I descended that ladder I have no recollection, nor do I in theleast know how the Mountaineers came after me, but I think that the mostof them rolled and scrambled down the thirty feet of rock. At least, totheir honour be it said, they did come, yelling like demons and wavinglong knives in their hands.
The effect of our sudden arrival from above was extraordinary. Scaredby the rush and the noise, the lions gave way, then bolted in everydirection, the wounded cub, which could not, or would not move, beingstabbed to death where it stood over Higgs and Japhet.
Five minutes more and all of us were safe in the mouth of the tunnel.
That was how we rescued Higgs from the den of the sacred lions whichguarded the idol of the Fung.