"It is a wonderful place," said Brace thoughtfully, "and the old people who cut out these cells and did all that carving must have been clever enough for anything. Look at the shaping of this curious-looking monster." "I admire the way they protected themselves and prepared for a siege as much as anything," said Briscoe. "The manner in which they contrived the water supply is to my mind grand. We must have torches one of these days, and examine that tank, and get up to the top and find out how the spring is led in." "But it seems strange that there are no more remains left about. They did not possess anything apparently but a few earthen pots and the stone mills," said Brace. "People didn't furnish much in early times," said Briscoe, laughing. "A man provided himself with a knife, a bow and arrow, or a spear, and a place to lay his head in, and no doubt thought he was rich. He didn't want a van when he was going to move to a fresh residence." "But these people must have been highly civilised to ornament this temple, or palace, or whatever it was, so grandly." "Well, let's make our way to the bottom," said Briscoe; "we may find something more interesting yet. Ready, Sir Humphrey?" "Yes: forward," was the reply. "He means downward," said Briscoe, laughing, and, the regular shaft being found, they descended to the next terrace and began to explore. CHAPTER THIRTY NINE. THE TEMPLE OF IDOLS. Working now upon a regular plan, the party began at one end of the terrace and examined each cell in turn. They had proceeded about a third of the way towards the other end, when, to the surprise of all, although the openings like windows continued in a regular row, the doorways ceased altogether, and when an attempt to peer in at window after window was made, nothing whatever could be seen, for within all was deep silent gloom. They soon found that about a third part in the centre of the two-hundred-feet-long terrace was like this: then the doorways began again and continued right away to the end. "Here, I want to see what's inside that middle part," said Briscoe. "I propose that I have a rope round my waist, and that I climb in, and you lower me down till I holloa out." "And I propose," said Sir Humphrey, "that we leave that till another day. Let's go down to the next terrace." "At your orders, sir," said the American quietly. "I can wait." The opening leading to the next terrace was sought for after the last cells had been examined, and when discovered it was found to contain nothing whatever but the crumbling dust of ages and the traces left by birds; while, upon descending to this last terrace but one, they saw that the construction was precisely the same as that of the terrace they had just left--the central part being pierced only with windows, doored cells being on either side. "I feel more and more that I want to see what's inside there," said Briscoe.