“Ob co’se it am, Marse Frank,” protested Pomp. “You’se jes’ a good right to shoot ebery one ob dem, fo’ suah.” Frank picked up his rifle. The foe were swarming down upon the Steam Man. They evidently believed that they had their mysterious visitor cornered. Loud cries of triumph pealed from their lips. But Frank opened fire with his Winchester repeater. Crack—ack—ack! The shots flew swift and true. One, two, three of the foe fell. Then Pomp joined in the battle. Crack! Another of the pigmies fell. This had the effect of partially checking them. Frank started the Steam Man forward. The huge log across the road barred their progress, but a few shots from the Winchesters scattered the foe there assembled. Then Pomp sprang down and moved the log. It required all the darky’s strength, but he succeeded and then returned to the wagon. ‪“Golly, Marse Frank!” cried the excited darky, “I reckon we’se jes’ gib dem rascals a bit ob a lesson.” ‪“I think we have, Pomp,” agreed Frank, “but I fear we’ve not seen the last of this battle yet.” The young inventor’s fears were not without foundation. The pigmies had been for a few moments repulsed by the deadly fire of the repeating rifles. But they had by no means given up the idea of capturing the Steam Man. A large party of them had struck out into the forest, and now, as Frank started the Steam Man for the table-land beyond, he was again quickly brought to a halt by a new development. Turning a bend in the road unexpectedly, he saw just ahead a large gang of the pigmies congregated there. They had felled several tall palms, and they lay across the roadway effectually blocking the passage of the Steam Man. Affairs had certainly reached a crisis. CHAPTER VI. BARNEY MEETS A FRIEND. But what of Barney, whom we have seen disappear in such a mysterious manner beneath the stone dais? The astounded Celt felt the stone give way beneath him, but before he had time to recover himself it had turned completely over, and he felt himself descending through space and darkness. He struck upon his back upon some soft substance. How far he had dropped he had no means of knowing. All was darkness about him. He was quickly upon his feet, and began to feel about him. The substance he had fallen upon he discovered by touch was a pile of some sort of soft cloth-covered cushions. The Celt was more than surprised. ‪“Begorra, whereiver am I at all, at all?” he spluttered. “Phwat sort av a place is this, I’d loike to know?” This was a question not easily answered owing to the dense gloom which enshrouded it. As soon as he could collect his scattered senses Barney got upon his feet and strove to pierce the gloom about him. Fortunately he had a small taper in his pocket. This he lit and its light displaced the gloom about him. Then he saw that he was in a square chamber of stone.