‪“My plan,” he declared, ‪“is to displace the mortar as far as possible, and perhaps we can loosen some of these stones and make an aperture large enough to get out through.” ‪“Good!” cried Buckden, joyfully. “You’ve hit the mark, Frank.” ‪“I hope so,” said the young inventor, modestly; ‪“time will tell. First we must make sure that the mortar will give way.” Together they went to work upon the mortar. It yielded readily to the points of their knives and soon had been displaced about one of the smaller stones. To their joy this yielded and the stone was removed. But a second layer was discovered just beyond. How many more were beyond this they could not guess. But Frank believed that only this layer separated them from the outer air and freedom. Accordingly with renewed hope the two imprisoned men went to work. With a will they hacked away at the crumbling stone and mortar. In a very short space of time another stone had been loosened. A third was quickly displaced, making an aperture sufficiently large enough to allow a body to pass through. Now the second layer was attacked. To the agreeable surprise of both it was a very rotten stone and yielded readily. In a very few moments daylight streamed into the place. ‪“Hurrah!” cried Frank. ‪“We are sure to escape, Tony!” ‪“So it seems!” cried the young New Yorker, cheerily. ‪“This is what comes of good pluck.” ‪“You are right.” Peering through the small hole made, Frank saw that they would come out right in the main body of the temple. Both men now worked like beavers. In a few moments one of the stones was displaced. Another quickly followed, and then they crawled through and into the open air. The relief experienced was beyond description. To drink in the pure air and the health-giving sunlight once more was a boon of no small sort. But after a time they began to think of Barney and Pomp and the Steam Man. It was certainly advisable to find them at once. The fate of the Steam Man was a matter of conjecture. But Frank arose from his reclining position and said: “Come, Tony, old man, we can’t stay here any longer. There’s work for us to do.” ‪“All right, Frank.” Frank started to leave the temple, but Tony chanced to glance across an inner court-yard. ‪“Wait a moment, Frank!” he cried. ‪“What is it?” ‪“Just look across that court-yard. What is it?” Frank looked and gave a start of surprise. ‪“Upon my soul!” he exclaimed. ‪“What sort of a creature can it be?” ‪“Let us investigate.” ‪“All right.” ‪“Lead the way.” Through a series of arches they went and reached the court-yard. Across it they made their way. The object of their surprise was a strange looking statue. It was sculptured out of the same peculiar greenish stone as the dragon seen below stairs. The statue was a compromise between a man and some strange wild animal resembling the panther. Certainly a more life like and hideous monstrosity they had never beheld before. They gazed upon it in wonderment.