And even here they had their work fully cut out for them. How were they to get at the wretched maniac? The idea of descending into that horrible pit was not an alluring one; and, apart from this, what sort of reception would they meet with from its occupant? That the latter regarded them in anything but a friendly light was manifest. How, then, were they ever to convey to the unfortunate creature that their object was the reverse of hostile? Tom Carhayes was well-known to be a man of great physical power. Tom Carr hayes--a gibbering, mouthing lunatic--a furious demoniac--no wonder they shrank from approaching him. "Silence! Darken the light!" The words, quick, low, peremptory--proceeded from Josane. In an instant Eustace obeyed. The slide of the lantern was turned. "I listen--I hear," went on the Kafir in the same quick whisper. "There are steps approaching." Every ear was strained to the uttermost. Standing in the pitchy blackness and on the brink of that awful pit, no one dared move so much as a foot. And now a faint and far-away sound came floating through the darkness; a strange sound, as of the soft bass of voices from the distant spirit-world wailing weirdly along the ghostly walls of the tunnel. It seemed, too, that ever so faint a light was melting the gloom in the distance. The effect was indescribable in its awesomeness. The listeners held their very breath. "Up here," whispered Josane, referring to the shaft already mentioned. "No! show no light--not a glimmer. Hold on to each other's shoulder-- you, Ixeshane, hold on to mine--Quick--_Hamba-ke_." [Go on.] This precaution, dictated by the double motive of keeping together in the darkness, and also to avoid any one of the party accidentally falling into the pit--being observed, the Kafir led the way some little distance within the shaft. "Heavens!" whispered Hoste. "What about the snakes? Supposing we tread on one?" In the excitement of the moment this consideration had been quite overlooked. Now it struck dismay into the minds of the three white men. To walk along in pitch darkness in a narrow tunnel which you know to be infested with deadly serpents, with more than an even chance of treading upon one of the noisome reptiles at every step, is a position which assuredly needs a powerful deal of excitement to carry it through. "_Au_! Flash one beam of light in front, Ixeshane," whispered the guide. "Not behind--for your life, not behind!" Eustace complied, carefully shading the sides of the light with the flaps of his coat. It revealed that the cave here widened slightly, but made a curve. It further revealed no sign of the most dreaded enemy of the human race. Here, then, it was decided to lie in wait. The lights carried by those approaching would hardly reach them here, and they could lurk almost concealed, sheltered by the formation of the tunnel.