He found it
at last, moved it and came across to lend a hand with the lever and
the rope.
The fakir sat still and smiled at them. His eyes gleamed more horridly
than ever, and his withered arm seemed more than ever to be calling
down dire vengeance on them.
"I believe that monster is up to tricks of some kind!" swore Brown.
"He can't do anything," said Juggut Khan. "If we were all to put
our weight against this, all together, we and the prisoners, sahib,
we could get it open in a second."
"All together, then!" said Brown. "Come on, there! Lend a hand!"
The prisoners and Brown's men and Juggut Khan and the Beluchi bent
their backs above the lever, or hauled taut on the rope, and the
fakir wriggled with some secret joke.
"At the word three!" said Brown. "Then all together!"
"One!"
"Two!"
The fakir writhed delightedly. He seemed more than ever like a wickedly
malicious child.
"Three!"
They strained their utmost, and the huge stone trap gave way with
a sudden jerk.
"For the love of--"
They all jumped, but they were strained in the wrong position for
a quick recovery, and the ten-ton rock rolled back on unseen hinges
to crush them all, and rolled back and yet farther back--and then
stayed! Brown had snatched a rifle, and had placed it between the
rolling rock and the wall!
He stood wiping the sweat from his forehead, while the rest recovered
their lost balance and walked out from behind unscathed.
Pages:
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143