As Dick gazed, trembling and amazed, a second hand appeared.

He heard the rattle of a chain, the click of a lock; then the door was thrust upwards and let noiselessly back upon the timber.

Now a man's head came into view, and up out of the shaft crawled a figure that Dick recognised in spite of the precautions taken.

Reaching into the darkness of the shaft, the man, who remained on his knees in a crouching position, drew up a skin bag containing something of considerable weight apparently; then came another head, and a second man slid, snake-like, from the shaft.

At the sight of the second, Dick, whose heart seemed to have swollen within him to an enormous size, gasped aloud; he heard a warning 'Hush!' from the shaft, and lay perfectly still.