Presently those who had left the chamber returned, accompanied by about a dozen of degraded-looking, ugly black dwarfs, who carried heavy jars and dishes laden with food. At the smell of the roasted meat and boiled pulse, our heroes and their followers at once sat up and prepared themselves for the welcome feast. The girls now clustered round them, a couple to each man, and waited upon them assiduously, with the most hospitable smiles and gestures. The conquered were particular in selecting those who had mastered them to serve. They kneeled on each side, and while one proffered water in large cups of curiously shaped and carved metal, the other picked out the choicest pieces from the platters, and fed them from their fingers like young birds. They were all friendly now, chattering away in that unknown liquid language with wonderful volubility, and showing their white teeth in the most bewitching smiles. They seemed to be delighted with their new masters, for they showed that they recognised them now as such. Ned and his followers also were more than satisfied with their present position. Yet these amazons displayed by many signs that they had a purpose in view, and no desire to linger or leave their new friends in this sculptured hall. With a few words of stern and terse command, the leader, who was Ned's first antagonist, pointed shudderingly to the mutilated snakes. At these orders the repulsive-looking dwarfs went over, and lifting up the quivering masses, removed them by the upper end, and afterwards brought sand and covered up the blood. As soon also as our heroes had satisfied their hunger and thirst, they all rose, and dividing the packages amongst them, led the way towards the two apertures in the lower end. Ned and his men had no objection to these new attendants carrying the loads, since they were forced to trust them now. But they stuck tenaciously to their weapons and ammunition. They entered a narrow passage outside the column, and after pacing along it towards the cliff face, they began once more to descend. Fifty steps in one direction along the punctured inner side of the cliffs, brought them to a flight of steps at the opposite angle. When that other fifty was reached, another flight at the first angle met them, and so on, until they had descended three thousand of these steps. It was a fatiguing journey after their heavy exertions, for the amazons hurried them along without a pause. They were either in great haste, or else did not wish any more investigations to be made of this underground region. The light was growing fainter also, as it was nearing sunset, yet our heroes were able to see, at each turn of the stairs, passages leading into other chambers. From several of these, as they got near the bottom, they heard a clanking sound, as if miners were at work. "I say, boys," said Ned, "do you hear? They are still working this gold-mine. What about the mirage now?"