They found themselves descending rugged stair after stair, encumbered with dead branches of creeper which cracked and snapped under their feet at every moment, till they were about five feet below the level of the terrace, with some dozens of greeny-white darkness-grown creeper strands swinging to and fro from above, and just in front of them they could dimly see, standing with uplifted menacing arm, what seemed to be a hideously grotesque half-human half-animal figure, apparently blocking the way. "How are you, old chap?" said Briscoe quietly, staring at the figure. "Long time since you've had any visitors, eh?" "Why, it is a temple," cried Brace, in tones of suppressed excitement, "and I suppose this is the idol the old people used to worship." "And very bad taste too. Come in, everybody," cried Briscoe, and his voice sounded weirdly strange as it echoed all round. "No: stop at the entrance," cried Brace. "Did you hear what I said, Free?" "Yes: that it was a temple with an idol," his brother answered. "Yes; but we must have more light before we proceed any farther, in case of there being any terrible holes or pitfalls." "Yes: be as well," said Briscoe; "but I'm beginning to see fairly now. Why, Brace, lad," he continued, as the captain set the men to work at once hacking away the growth of many generations from entrance door and window, "it's as I expected: the temple runs up as high as three or four of the terraces, and look: you can see the light from the upper windows, showing the walls. It's a hugely big place, but I wish it wasn't so dark down here." "I'm getting used to it too," said Brace, in a voice full of excitement; "but I'm afraid to move, in case of losing my footing." "That's right; so am I. Look: can you see over yonder?" "Yes; quite plainly now. There's what looks like an altar, and I can see several more figures standing about." "So can I. I wish we had a good strong light. Hah! that's right; they're letting in the sunshine. Oh, we shall soon see." "Look here," said Brace: "the place is very lofty, and there are windows upward to take off the smoke. Let's make a fire of the dead wood lying about here." "That's a good thought," said Sir Humphrey; and five minutes afterwards a match was applied to the heap of perfectly dry wood underfoot. It caught fire at once and began blazing up, sending forth such a glow of light that the men set up a cheer, drawn from them by the excitement and wonder of the weird scene which confronted them. CHAPTER FORTY. THE FLOOD SUBSIDES. As all stepped back from the crackling and blazing pile, the smoke rose, rolling up in wreaths, and the fire illumined the whole place, displaying a perfect crowd of grotesquely horrible figures in all manner of menacing attitudes.