Page:Doughty--Mirrikh or A woman from Mars.djvu/66

 “Confound it, Wylde, why do you keep harping on that?” he answered almost hotly. “Do you make no allowance for a fellow’s astonishment? I’ll bet you a shilling when you first saw that face you were as much taken aback as I. You’ve said enough—let it rest.”.

“Yes, and while you two are squabbling, what is to hinder the tiger from returning?” put in Maurice. “I move we get out of this.”

“It is time,” I answered, dryly. “Look! The storm is almost upon us. Which way shall we go?”

“To the old stone tower,” said Maurice promptly. “We shall do well to follow his advice.”

“We’ll do it!” exclaimed the Doctor. “We’ll take his advice, and, by the eternal gods, if he does favor us with another call, I’ll have his secret out of him, or know the reason why.”

We now hurried on, crossing the swampy stretch in the path before us as best we could. Fortunately, it was of no great extent, and we soon found ourselves upon rising ground.

Clearly there was no time to be lost, for the sky had now assumed an inky blackness, and there was barely light enough to enable us to see our way.

“If we don’t find his tower we are going to be in a sweet fix;” growled Philpot, after a little. “Hark! Did you hear that? Boys, I tell you there’s no time to lose.”

It was thunder this time. A growl, a low rumbling followed by a faint breath of wind which struck our faces with refreshing coolness in that moist, stifling heat.

Suddenly there was a rush among the bushes ahead of us, and some animal dashed across our path, disappearing in the thicket beyond, while the shrill screams of paroquets and birds whose notes were unknown, told us that we were not the only creatures in the jungle in dread of the approaching storm.

“Run!” cried Maurice. “Every moment is precious.”

I felt my heart sink as we dashed ahead.

What if we had missed the tower? What if we were to be forced to brave the fury of this storm in the forest? Yet, after all, why should I care—I, who felt no interest in life?

And, as we ran, I could not but think of Mr. Mirrikh. Were there actually other ruins hidden in the jungle? Surely