Startled by Raoul's exultant cry Anitoo seized a pike from one of the two men who had stayed with him. If he had fallen into an ambush he would at least make a brave fight to free himself. But resistance from the first was hopeless. The slight eminence on which he stood with Raoul was surrounded by a score or more men who had crept up on him, their lights extinguished, and protected by the impenetrable darkness of the cave. As Anitoo and his two followers still carried the mysterious torches that had excited the wonder of the explorers, they offered an excellent mark to their concealed antagonists. And now the latter, dimly visible on the outer edge of the circle of light cast by these torches, jumped to their feet and, with weapons poised, made a rush for their victims. "So! Now for your queen!" yelled Raoul. Anitoo made a desperate lunge with his pike at the man beside him. But the latter was too quick for him. Dodging the blow, Raoul managed to wrest the pike from his grasp. There was a tigerish struggle between the two men, shouts of fury and triumph from those looking on. Then, overpowered by the number of his assailants, and mortally wounded, Anitoo fell to the ground. He had been so certain of the defeat of his antagonists that this sudden turn in his fortunes filled him, even at the approach of death, with the gloomiest forebodings. "Ah! my poor queen--lost!" he gasped with his last breath. Raoul snatched the torch from the dead man's tunic and waved it above his head. "You will be free men now," he cried, "not miserable bats in a cave!" Those of his hearers who understood his words, spoken in Spanish, repeated them to the others in their own language. There was wild cheering, in which the two followers of Anitoo joined--amazed at their leader's fate--and then a rush for the great gateway. But this impulsive movement of his men did not agree with Raoul's hastily conceived plan of conquest. Delighted by his easily won victory, coming to him in the very hour of defeat, he had no mind to leave Anitoo's hostile troops in his rear--especially as he heard them approaching from the outer cave, and could even catch the first glimmer of their torches. "Stop!" he commanded. "We need these men. Better to have them friends than enemies. They will come with us. Some of you warn them--tell them what has happened." His followers, halted in their eager flight, looked at Raoul in amazement. Then, hurriedly repeating to each other what he had said, they suddenly broke into another cheer, while two of their number, in obedience to Raoul's orders, ran towards the approaching troops.