The officer at once recognised the seal, and carried it to his forehead, salaaming deeply.
"Your troopers can enter at the gate, but cannot proceed farther than the second wall." "Can we ride up, or must we walk ?" Dick asked.
"You can ride," he replied.

"The road is steep, but nowhere so steep that horses cannot mount it." After the party had entered the gate, it was at once closed and bolted.

The troopers dismounted, and were led to a small barrack; while Surajah and Dick, accompanied by the officer, and four soldiers on foot, rode on.
The road was a better one than Dick had expected.

It was just wide enough for a cart to proceed up it, and was cut out of the solid rock.
It turned and zigzagged continually, and at each angle was a small fort, whose guns swept the approach.

They passed under a score of gateways, each defended by guns; and after upwards of an hour's climbing, at a quick pace, they approached one of the forts on its summit.