But that light was too far away to be of any service. All upon the surface of the underground lake was Stygian blackness. “I don’t know where I am, nor if I shall ever get out of here alive,” muttered the young inventor, ‪“but I must try. I will swim as far as I can.” And this he proceeded to do. Striking out he forced his way swiftly through the water. Pausing to rest, he suddenly heard a startling sound near him. It was a splash in the water. At first Frank instinctively thought of the presence of some submarine monster, but recollection came to him in time. ‪“Tony!” he cried; ‪“is that you?” ‪“Thank God!” was the reply. Neither could see the other, but they swam side by side in the darkness. ‪“Thank Heaven, you are alive!” said Frank, sincerely. ‪“I feared you were dead.” ‪“I am alive,” said Buckden, ‪“but I fear we will never get out of this.” ‪“Why did you not answer my call?” asked Frank. ‪“I did not hear it.” ‪“Is that possible?” ‪“For some moments after coming to the surface the shock made me deaf.” ‪“Oh, I see.” ‪“What sort of a place are we in?” ‪“I cannot imagine.” ‪“I pray there is an outlet somewhere. If not, we are done for.” ‪“That is true,” agreed Frank. ‪“Let us pray for escape.” The words had barely left his lips, when Frank’s hand struck an object. In a moment his fingers closed upon it. It was the edge of a stone coping, and quickly he drew himself out of the water upon what seemed like a platform. It was really the shore of the underground reservoir or lake. Frank secured a foothold and then turned to Buckden. ‪“Are you there, Tony?” ‪“Yes.” ‪“Give me your hand and I will help you up.” ‪“All right.” The next moment Buckden was drawn safely up out of the water. Both men now stood once more upon terra firma. “Well, we’re out of the water, anyway,” cried Tony, as he proceeded to wring the water out of his coat. ‪“Yes.” ‪“But where in the mischief are we?” ‪“Give it up.” All was Stygian darkness about them. But Frank remembered suddenly that in an inner pocket he had a small pocket lantern. This was in a water-proof case and consequently had not suffered by the immersion. There were matches in the same case and Frank lit one on a dry part of the stone coping. Then he lit the wick of the lantern and the vicinity was dimly illumined. But the moment Frank turned the rays of the lantern to the rear both gave a wild start. A frightful object confronted their gaze. At first sight Frank had thought it a living object. It was a monster dragon with wide open mouth and awful jaws. But a second glance revealed the fact that it was not animate and could consequently do them no harm. It was of some peculiar quality of dark colored greenish stone, and was a remarkably life-like representation. ‪“Jupiter!” exclaimed Buckden, ‪“but that gave me a start.” ‪“I must confess to the same,” said Frank, with a smile. “It is a clever imitation of a dragon, isn’t it?” ‪“Indeed, it is.”