CHAPTER III.
THE STONE CUBE AND THE OBELISK

Three weeks later we find Prof. Remington Easy and his exploring party in the very heart of the great Everglades.

Had they not been possessed of a vast amount of pluck and endurance they would never have reached this far.

But to turn back was strictly out of the question to them, and this, coupled with the fact that they were completely fitted out for such an undertaking, was the secret of their success.

As Prof. Easy had expected, they found the central position of the swamp less dangerous to traverse. It seemed to be upon higher and more solid ground, and there was less water, and, consequently, less alligators to look out for.

It is a beautiful morning upon which we find them camped in a very picturesque spot.

The air seems purer than at any time since they entered the recesses of the unexplored region, and all appear happy and contented.

The stranger and his dog have not been seen during all this time, nor has any other human being, outside of their own party.

Each one of the swamp explorers has lost more or less flesh, though it cannot be said that Martin Haypole’s loss, in that respect, amounts to much.

Though a native of the Southern clime, Lucky has suffered the most.

He is worn down to a mere shadow, and had it not been for the professor’s store of medicines he would certainly have found a grave in the swamp.

As it is, he has just about pulled through by the “skin of his teeth,” as the saying goes.

Leo Malvern has just shot a swamp deer, and they are busily engaged in preparing some of the meat for their breakfast.

“Well, professor,” said the young fellow, looking up from his task, “I can’t say that we have made any great discovery yet, and I guess we are pretty near the heart of the Everglades.”

“I haven’t given up yet,” was the reply. “Here, examine this and tell me what you think of it.”

He produced a block of stone about two or three inches square from his pocket as he spoke.

Leo laid down the knife with which he was skinning the animal he had slain, and took the object in question in his hand.

“I found that lying upon the ground a few minutes ago,” went on the professor. “Have any of you lost it?”

He was promptly answered in the negative by all hands.

“Nature certainly never formed that,” said Leo. “Ah! there are marks upon it!”

The boy was right. Upon one side of the stone were several cuts, resembling, for all the world, Chinese hieroglyphics.

“That’s very strange,” remarked Dick.

“We are on the eve of a great discovery – mark my words, gentlemen,” said the professor, in a manner of excitement.

“I don’t see why,” ventured the Yankee.

“You don’t? How do you suppose this thing came here, then?”

“Somebody has been here afore, most likely.”

“That’s it, exactly; somebody has been here before, and those who have must certainly live in this neighborhood. Let us look about and see if we can find anything more.”

“Humph!” retorted Haypole; “suppose we do find something. What’ll it amount to, anyhow?”

No one vouchsafed a reply, and leaving Lucky to get the morning meal ready, Leo, Dick and the professor began carefully searching about the ground.

At length the Yankee became interested, and joined them.

But they looked about the spot where the professor had found the little cube for full half an hour, and not another thing could they find that seemed out of the way in the place.

“Well,” observed Dick, as they were called to breakfast, “I would keep the cube, professor, if I were you, and be very careful not to lose it.”

“Oh! you may rest assured that I will,” was the reply.

After the remains of the breakfast were cleared away, Leo arose to his feet and signified his intention of climbing a tree to see how the land lay.

Selecting a good, tall one, which was at the same time easy to climb, he went up.

The tree was nearly a hundred feet high, and the boy did not pause until he reached the top.

Then he prepared to take in the surrounding country.

The sun, which seldom found its way to the ground in the swamp, was shining brightly all around him, and Leo felt his spirits rise as if by magic.

“This is fine,” he muttered to himself; “but I can’t see much besides tree tops and cane brakes, after all. But it is worth ten dollars to have the sun shine on you five minutes like this. Ah, by George!”

He had just turned his gaze in a southerly direction as the words left his lips.

No wonder he uttered the exclamation.

Leo Malvern was looking upon something besides trees, cane brakes and pools of muddy water now.

About a mile from the tree in which he was perched he plainly saw a stone obelisk, which looked to be in the neighborhood of forty feet high.

Now, Leo knew this could not have grown there; so, locating the exact direction, he began descending the tree to notify his companions of the important discovery he had made.

“Hurrah!” he shouted, when he reached the ground. “I’ve made the greatest discovery yet!”

“What is it?” exclaimed the professor, excitedly.

“There is a stone pillar, or something, about a mile south of us.”

“What!”

“Exactly what I say. Come on; we will go to it.”

Even Haypole became very much excited, and he hurried along after Leo as fast as any of his companions.

“I shan’t be astonished at anything we may find,” said Prof. Easy. “Hundreds of years ago it was supposed that a fountain of youth existed somewhere in these parts; and if that does not, I am sure something else equally as wonderful does.”

They had probably made half the distance to the obelisk, when the baying of a dog suddenly came to their ears.

“What in thunderation is that?” exclaimed the Yankee.

“It is a dog, if I am not mistaken,” replied Leo. “Be cautious, all hands, there is no use in our running headlong into danger.”

With their weapons ready for instant use, they hurried cautiously ahead through the tangled mazes of the swamp.

They did not hear the dog bark again, though they listened attentively for it.

In a few minutes they came in sight of the obelisk that had attracted Leo’s attention from the top of the tree.

It seemed to be very ancient in appearance, for in many places pieces were chipped from it.

Yet it stood as erect as it had when placed there.

A tangled mass of vines clung to it, half hiding the lower part of it.

After peering carefully about, to make sure that there was no one around, our friends advanced toward the huge monument of stone.

It was a difficult matter to reach its base, for so dense was the undergrowth that the Yankee had to unsling the ax from his back and cut their way through.

At frequent intervals they came to a halt and listened, but not the least sound could they hear, save the noise they made themselves.

“It is rather queer where that dog went to,” said Dick.

“That’s so,” replied his cousin, shaking his head.

“Somethin’ funny’ll happen putty soon – see if it don’t,” put in Haypole. “I wouldn’t be much surprised to see ther ‘old boy’ jump outer that big gravestone, an’ put for us. I’ll be ding-wizzened! if I don’t begin ter feel squeamish.”

“Come; let us force our way through these vines and get at the base of the obelisk,” spoke up the professor, pushing his way forward.

A few minutes later all five stood at the foot of the immense shaft, panting and sweating from their exertions.

As they tore the vines aside, they saw it was covered, at regular intervals, with square bits of stone, exactly like the one found by Prof. Easy.

“Ah!” exclaimed the learned man, as he saw this; “this cube I found evidently came from here. Let us see if we can find where it belongs.”

Leo and Dick quickly produced their knives and began cutting away the vines, while the professor put on his glasses, preparatory to making the examination.

They cleared away all around the base, which was about eighteen feet square, and just as they finished, Dick’s eye lit upon one of the places where a cube was missing.

“Here is the spot,” said he. “Now, professor, let’s see if the one you have fits here.”

The professor stepped forward and produced the cube from his pocket.

He was just about to place it in the opening when a rifle shot rang out close at hand, followed by the baying of a dog.

This so startled the man of science that he made an involuntary move forward, thrusting the cube, as he did so, squarely into the hole.

Almost instantly a hidden door flew noiselessly open, revealing a flight of stone steps, leading downward into the bowels of the earth.

A simultaneous cry of surprise left the lips of the swamp explorers as this remarkable occurrence took place.

They gazed into the opening for the space of a minute and no one spoke a word.

But suddenly they were called to their senses by hearing a wild cry at their very elbow.

The next moment a man and a dog rushed through their midst and sprang down the stairway in the base of the obelisk.

CHAPTER IV.
WHERE THE STAIRS LED TO

Leo Malvern caught but a fleeting glance at the man and dog as they rushed down the stairs in the base of the obelisk.

But what was the stranger fleeing from?

The swamp explorers glanced around them to find out.

The next moment they learned to their full satisfaction.

In the little clearing, a few yards beyond them, a balloon suddenly settled.

There was but one occupant of the basket, or car, and he was a stern-visaged man of perhaps forty-two.

It was evident that he had not yet seen our friends, for, as the balloon, which was now about half collapsed, settled upon the earth, he sprang from the basket and rushed in the direction taken by the man and dog.

A sudden thought came in Dick Vincey’s head.

“Hide – quick!” he whispered to his companions. “He will most likely enter the opening and go on down.”

In the twinkling of an eye all hands sprang to the other side of the obelisk and concealed themselves in a thicket.

They were not a moment too soon. The next instant the man who had so strangely landed in that wild spot rushed up to the base of the obelisk and came to an abrupt halt.

An exclamation of surprise left his lips as he beheld the opening in the stone shaft.

“By heavens!” he exclaimed, loud enough for the swamp explorers to hear; “Reginald Lacy, you shall not escape me, even if I have to follow you into the very center of the earth!”

Then he boldly entered the doorway and began descending the stone steps.

Five minutes later our friends made their way to the entrance again and listened for some sound.

But they could hear nothing.

“I am going to make a suggestion,” suddenly said Leo.

“What is it?” asked his cousin.

“Let us go down the steps and see what has become of those who have already gone down.”

“Agreed!” exclaimed the professor, who was ready for anything.

“Oh! for de good Lor’ sakes! don’t go down dere. De debbil am dere, suah!” whined Lucky, in a frightened manner.

“Keep still, coon, and don’t git skeered. We may as well go as far and see as much as we kin, since we have got ter this dod-rotted country. I, for one, are satisfied to go down them steps.”

The Yankee gave a contemptuous glance at the darky as he spoke, and then nodded for Leo to lead on.

Dick had not passed his opinion on the question yet, but that he was perfectly willing need scarcely be said.

But at the same time it occurred to him that they ought to take some sort of a light with them.

They had left their supplies at the point where they had been compelled to use the ax in the thicket.

Dick hastened to the spot and got a small lantern, which was all that was left of three that they had brought along with them.

When he reached the obelisk again his companions had already entered the doorway, and were waiting for him on the steps.

It was but the work of a moment to strike a match and light the lantern; and then the boy followed them down into the place beyond.

Down they went, for at least a hundred steps, and the end of the flight was not reached yet.

Another hundred, and still it appeared the same.

“I wonder how many miles we have got ter go afore we git ter ther bottom?” said the Yankee.

“Have patience, Martin,” replied Prof. Easy. “We are on the eve of a great discovery – mark my word for it!”

“Humph! I heerd ye say that same thing a good many times before. But, by the great boots in ther haymow, I stepped on somethin’ alive jist then!”

“A ground hog!” exclaimed Dick, holding up the lantern. “How in thunder did it ever get there, I wonder?”

“If it can live in here, I am sure we can a little longer. Let us proceed,” returned the professor, quietly.

Once more they began descending the steps.

During all this time they had not heard the least sound from those who had preceded them.

Probably one hundred and fifty steps more were descended, and then they reached a wide passage.

“Come,” said Leo, leading the way. “We have struck level traveling at last.”

The swamp explorers had not proceeded over three hundred yards, before they saw daylight ahead.

It seemed rather strange that it should be daylight, but it was, nevertheless.

With all possible speed they hastened along the passage.

Two hundred yards more and a wonderful sight met their gaze.

They were emerging into a vast tract of country many feet below the earth’s crust.

In front of them was the beginning of a long crack, which extended a couple of miles or more, and all along the edges of this the water streamed down in the form of a cascade of unlimited extent.

The sunlight came in through the crack, which was probably a quarter of a mile in width, and lighted up the place.

All sorts of vegetation flourished on the place beneath the opening above; but beyond this our friends could perceive nothing on account of the falling water and the mist arising from the streams in which it fell.

“Wonderful!” exclaimed the professor.

“Darned if it ain’t wonderful,” assented Haypole.

“Who ever imagined that such a place as this existed?” said Leo.

“We are now under the great Everglades of Florida. It remains for us to find out what sort of place it is,” spoke up Dick Vincey.

“I agree with you there,” returned Prof. Easy. “Come, let us be moving. It is strange what has become of the man and dog and their pursuer.”

They stepped off to the left, and kept walking until they emerged from the mist, which seemed to settle back on either side of the opening.

As they left it behind them they saw that only a sort of twilight prevailed in and about the underground place.

Then a startling thing occurred.

A body of men suddenly appeared from the numerous galleries, to be seen on their left, and rushed toward them.

There must have been fully a hundred of them, and all were attired in long gowns of some dark-colored material, and were barefooted and without any head covering.

The strange horde had the appearance of Turks, both in manner and looks.

The moment Leo and Dick beheld them, they placed their rifles to their shoulders.

Their action was quickly followed by their companions, and then Leo exclaimed:

“Halt! We mean you no harm!”

But the command was entirely disregarded. The crowd of men rushed at them with a quicker pace, if possible, brandishing spears and bows and arrows.

When within about fifty feet of the intruders, they came to a sudden halt and sent a flight of arrows at them.

One of these found lodgment in the fleshy part of Martin Haypole’s leg, and another went through the crown of the professor’s hat.

Leo and Dick thought it high time for them to act.

Dropping to their knees, they began firing into the ranks of the queerly attired strangers.

Crack! crack!

The reports rang out in rapid succession, and at almost every shot a man fell.

At first they seemed to be staggered and amazed, but they soon rallied and answered the rifle shots, by another flight of arrows.

It now behooved our friends to look for a place of cover.

A few yards distant was the mouth of a gallery or passage, and at the command of Leo Malvern they rushed for this with all possible speed.

The inhabitants of the underground place came after them with all their might, uttering, for the first time, loud yells of triumph.

“Hurry up!” cried Dick; “if we can reach the mouth of that passage we’ll give ’em fits.”

The arrows kept flying all around them, and Lucky, the darky, was wounded in the arm.

A minute more and the spot was reached in safety.

“Now!” exclaimed Leo, “give it to them! Everybody fire as fast as he can.”

The next instant five rifles began sending a veritable hailstorm of bullets.

Down went seven or eight of the savage barbarians, as the professor chose to term them, and several more began hopping about like mad from the wounds they had received.

Leo expected to see them turn and flee now, since he and his companions had reached a place where they could most likely hold their own.

But no! They kept on shooting their arrows, which, by the way, did our friends not the least bit of harm, as they had crouched behind a huge bowlder.

But in spite of the determined stand our friends made, they were doomed to defeat.

Suddenly they heard a pattering of feet behind them, and, on turning, beheld a crowd of the savages coming through the passage.

They were between two fires!