"What is it all about, Uncle?" asked Lawrence. "We’ll see in the morning. It’s too late now. Slip off your horses; I’ll call a fellow to take charge of them." A man came up in answer to his call, and led the horses towards the stables beyond the huts. Then Mr. Appleton gave a loud hail, and led his nephews to the left. "Look after your feet," he said, taking a small electric lamp from his pocket. They now saw that they were at the edge of the ravine. Below them they heard the gurgle and rush of the river. A few steps cut in the side of the chasm led down to a narrow platform, and upon this the three stood waiting. Mr. Appleton’s call was answered from the opposite side, and immediately afterwards the boys heard a creaking sound, as though a machine of some sort were being wound up. Then a dark mass appeared to detach itself from the wall of rock across the gap, and descend towards them. "My drawbridge," said their uncle. It sank slowly and with much groaning and squeaking until the nearer end rested on the edge of the platform where they stood. They stepped upon it, followed by the Sikhs who had acted as their guides, and in a few strides came to the other side. "Welcome to the Appleton mine," said Mr. Appleton. "And now for supper. Our menu isn’t elaborate, but if you’re as sharp set as I am you won’t be dainty. Come along!" CHAPTER THE THIRD MR. APPLETON’S MINE Mr. Appleton led the way across a sort of yard, littered with mining debris, towards a building in the upper part of which lights were burning. To the left sheds and a chimney stack loomed up in the darkness, scarcely distinguishable against the background of rock. They passed through a gate, and found themselves in a less cumbered enclosure, at the farther corner of which stood the illuminated building. This proved to be a compact square edifice, the lower storey of stone, the upper of wood. The door stood open, and in the entrance appeared a grave turbaned servant, who salaamed as the boys went in. "Chunda Beg, my khansaman," said Mr. Appleton. "Come upstairs and see your room. We haven’t over much space, but we’ve done our best to make you comfortable." The boys followed their uncle to the upper floor, which was one large apartment divided into three by matchboard partitions carried up to within a foot or two of the ceiling. In the first room, the dining-room, they saw a table laid for supper. Passing through this they entered Mr. Appleton’s bedroom, a small chamber furnished only with a narrow camp bed, a chair, a towel-horse, a tin basin on a stand, a chest of drawers, and a zinc bath; a Persian rug lay on the floor at one side of the bed. Beyond the further partition, which had evidently been newly erected, was the boys’ bedroom, about the same size as their uncle’s, similarly furnished, but with two camp beds separated by the width of a Persian rug.