Unfortunately, and consequent upon the slow way in which the rope was being drawn up, the first thing his right hand came in contact with was one of Lennox's arms, round which his fingers fastened as if they were of steel. The next moment his right hand was joined by his left and he clung desperately, dragging the young officer from the slippery edge of rock, and before Lennox could raise a hand to help himself and hold on in turn, and cling desperately in the hope that after all perhaps the rope might bear them both, the corporal's spasmodic clasp ended as quickly as it came. Those at the top felt the strain on the rope less, and those who were gazing down unoccupied saw the light suddenly extinguished, heard a terrible, echoing splash, followed by suckings and whisperings that seemed as if they would have no end. For Lennox did not rise again, the rush of water bearing him rapidly down into the very bowels of the cavernous mass of rock. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. THE CORPORAL RELATES. The party at the head of the cavern stood for a few moments perfectly motionless, listening to the dying away of the strange gurglings and whispering echoes which followed the heavy splash, and then Dickenson uttered a wild cry of horror and despair. "Pull!" he shouted. "Pull up!" and, spurred into action by his order, Sergeant James and the two men behind him who helped with the rope hauled away rapidly, till the rigid-looking form of the corporal rose out of the darkness into the light shed by the lanterns, to be seized by the sergeant and dragged into safety. "Is he dead?" said Captain Roby hoarsely. "I dunno, sir," growled the sergeant, loosening the noose around the rigid sufferer, and then with a few quick drags unfastening the knot which had troubled Lennox in his helpless state. "Silence a moment," cried the captain, "while I hail!" and he made the place echo with his repetitions of the subaltern's name. There were answers enough, but given only by the mocking echoes; otherwise all below was still save the weird, rushing sound of the water. "Here, what are you doing, Dickenson?" cried the captain, who suddenly became aware of the fact that the young lieutenant had seized the sergeant and was hindering him from securing the end of the rope about his chest. "He's not going down: I am," cried Dickenson hoarsely. "You?" "Yes; I think I'm going to leave my friend in a hole like this?" "Hole indeed!" thought the captain. Then aloud: "Let him go down, sergeant. Here, two lanterns this time;" and as the sergeant obeyed and began securing the rope about Dickenson, Roby seized and began unbuckling the young officer's belt, and himself passed the stiff leather through the ring-handles of a couple of lanterns, and rebuckled the belt, adjusting it so that Dickenson had a light on either side. "Ready, sergeant?" said the young officer sharply. "All right, sir; that'll hold you safe."