'Had we not passed through that tunnel, I should think that we had been walking in a circle all this time,' remarked Terence, rather hopelessly; for the scene upon which they issued was the counterpart of that which they had left behind them on the other side of the passage. Still they walked on, always ascending now, as it seemed to them, and at last, just as they came to the base of a slope, between which and the opposite ridge a wide, shallow gully extended, Terence halted suddenly and gripped George's wrist with a warning 'Hush!' He pointed to the left, where a number of Maoris sat in a circle; but none of them turned round or took the least notice of the intruders. 'Let us go nearer,' whispered Terence. 'You can speak to them if they seem inclined to be nasty.' But the Maoris who faced them continued to stare unconcernedly, while the others neither turned their heads nor made any motion of inquiry towards their fellows. They were evidently men of distinction, for their mats were of the finest workmanship, while the hair of each, carefully dressed, was adorned with the coronet of _huia_[1] plumes, the invariable mark of a chief. [1] _Neomorpha Gouldii_--A rare bird. The two moved quietly forward until they were within six paces of the silent chiefs, who still neither moved nor spoke. 'Salutations, O friends!' began George. 'Far be it from us rudely to disturb your meditations; but----' He broke off abruptly. Not a movement, not a change of expression upon the grim faces. Silent, motionless, rigid, the ten chiefs sat, and, suddenly, the truth flashed upon George. 'Terence!' He caught his breath. 'They are all dead men!' 'Dead men?' 'Yes. Where are their eyes?' 'Dead men without eyes!' The emotional Irishman shuddered, and, scarcely knowing what he was about, poked his bundle of torches into the back of the figure nearest to him. Instantly the uncanny thing fell over, and at the sight revealed Terence burst into wild, hysterical laughter. But in an instant George's arm was round his neck, and George's strong hand was pressed firmly over his mouth. 'Control yourself,' was the stern order. 'These are dead, but the living may not be far away.' Terence nodded, gasping, and, George having released him, the two bent over the fallen figure and pulled aside its mat. George held up a warning finger, for Terence again began to giggle at the extraordinary sight. For the thing had no body! Not one in all that silent circle possessed aught but a head, stuck upon a pointed stick, with a crosspiece for shoulders, upon which the mat was hung. In the full glare of day the illusion would have been impossible; but here, in the gloom of the underworld, with only the smoke-veiled light of a couple of torches, it looked real enough, and horrible enough, too.