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By now Bastin had joined us； and； attracted by my exclamation
and by the attitude of Bickley； who was staring down at the
coffin with a fixed look upon his face； not unlike that of a
pointer when he scents game； he began to contemplate the wonder
within it in his slow way。
〃Well； I never！〃 he said。 〃Do you think the Glittering Lady in
there is human？〃
〃The Glittering Lady is dead； but I suppose that she was human
in her life；〃 I answered in an awed whisper。
〃Of course she is dead； otherwise she would not be in that
glass coffin。 I think I should like to read the Burial Service
over her； which I daresay was never done when she was put in
there。〃
〃How do you know she is dead？〃 asked Bickley in a sharp voice
and speaking for the first time。 〃I have seen hundreds of
corpses； and mummies too； but never any that looked like these。〃
I stared at him。 It was strange to hear Bickley； the scoffer at
miracles； suggesting that this greatest of all miracles might be
possible。
〃They must have been here a long time；〃 I said； 〃for although
human； they are not； I think； of any people known to the world
to…day； their dress； everything； shows it； though perhaps
thousands of years ago〃 and I stopped。
〃Quite so；〃 answered Bickley； 〃I agree。 That is why I suggest
that they may have belonged to a race who knew what we do not；
namely； how to suspend animation for great periods of time。〃
I said no more； nor did Bastin； who was now engaged in studying
the old man； and for once； wonderstruck and overcome。 Bickley；
however； took one of the candles and began to make a close
examination of the coffins。 So did Tommy； who sniffed along the
join of that of the Glittering Lady until his nose reached a
certain spot； where it remained； while his black tail began to
wag in a delighted fashion。 Bickley pushed him away and
investigated。
〃As I thought；〃 he said〃air…holes。 See！〃
I looked； and there； bored through the crystal of the coffin in
a line with the face of its occupant； were a number of little
holes that either by accident or design outlined the shape of a
human mouth。
〃They are not airtight；〃 murmured Bickley； 〃and if air can
enter； how can dead flesh remain like that for ages？〃
Then he continued his search upon the other side。
〃The lid of this coffin works on hinges；〃 he said。 〃Here they
are； fashioned of the crystal itself。 A living person within
could have pulled it down before the senses departed。〃
〃No；〃 I answered； 〃for look； here is a crystal bolt at the end
and it is shot from without。〃
This puzzled him； then as though struck by an idea； he began to
examine the other coffin。
〃I've got it！〃 he exclaimed presently。 〃The old god in here〃
（somehow we all thought of this old man as not quite normal）
〃shut down the Glittering Lady's coffin and bolted it。 His own is
not bolted； although the bolt exists in the same place。 He just
got in and pulled down the lid。 Oh！ what nonsense I am talking
for how can such things be？ Let us get out and think。〃
So we crept from the sepulchre in which the perfumed air had
begun to oppress us and sat ourselves。 down upon the floor of the
cave； where for a while we remained silent。
〃I am very thirsty；〃 said Bastin presently。 〃Those smells seem
to have dried me up。 I am going to get some teaI mean water； as
unfortunately there is no tea；〃 and he set off towards the mouth
of the cave。
We followed him； I don't quite know why； except that we wished
to breathe freely outside； also we knew that the sepulchre and
its contents would be as safe as they had been forwell； how
long？
It proved to be a beautiful morning outside。 We walked up and
down enjoying it sub…consciously； for really ourthat is
Bickley's and my ownintelligences were concentrated on that
sepulchre and its contents。 Where Bastin's may have been I do not
know； perhaps in a visionary teapot； since I was sure that it
would take him a day or two to appreciate the significance of our
discoveries。 At any rate； he wandered off； making no remarks
about them； to drink water； I suppose。
Presently he began to shout to us from the end of the
table…rock and we went to see the reason of his noise。 It proved
to be very satisfactory； for while we were in the cave the
Orofenans had brought absolutely everything belonging to us；
together with a large supply of food from the main island。 Not a
single article was missing； even our books； a can with the bottom
out； and the broken pieces of a little pocket mirror had been
religiously transported； and with these a few articles that had
been stolen from us； notably my pocket…knife。 Evidently a great
taboo had been laid upon all our possessions。 They were now
carefully arranged in one of the grooves of the rock that Bickley
supposed had been made by the wheels of aeroplanes； which was why
we had not seen them at once。
Each of us rushed for what we desired mostBastin for one of
the canisters of tea； I for my diaries； and Bickley for his chest
of instruments and medicines。 These were removed to the mouth of
the cave； and after them the other things and the food； also a
bell tent and some camp furniture that we had brought from the
ship。 Then Bastin made some tea of which he drank four large
pannikins； having first said grace over it with unwonted fervour。
Nor did we disdain our share of the beverage； although Bickley
preferred cocoa and I coffee。 Cocoa and coffee we had no time to
make then； and in view of that sepulchre in the cave； what had we
to do with cocoa and coffee？
So Bickley and I said to each other； and yet presently he
changed his mind and in a special metal machine carefully made
some extremely strong black coffee which he poured into a thermos
flask； previously warmed with hot water； adding thereto about a
claret glass of brandy。 Also he extracted certain drugs from his
medicine…chest； and with them； as I noted； a hypodermic syringe；
which he first boiled in a kettle and then shut up in a little
tube with a glass stopper。
These preparations finished； he called to Tommy to give him the
scraps of our meal。 But there was no Tommy。 The dog was missing；
and though we hunted everywhere we could not find him。 Finally we
concluded that he had wandered off down the beach on business of
his own and would return in due course。 We could not bother about
Tommy just then。
After making some further preparations and fidgeting about a
little； Bickley announced that as we had now some proper paraffin
lamps of the powerful sort which are known as 〃hurricane；〃 he
proposed by their aid to carry out further examinations in the
cave。
〃I think I shall stop where I am；〃 said Bastin； helping himself
from the kettle to a fifth pannikin of tea。 〃Those corpses are
very interesting； but I don't see any use in staring at them
again at present。 One can always do that at any time。 I have
missed Marama once already by being away in that cave； and I have
a lot to say to him about my people； I don't want to be absent in
case he should return。〃
〃To wash up the things； I suppose；〃 said Bickley with a sniff；
〃or perhaps to eat the tea…leaves。〃
〃Well； as a matter of fact； I have noticed that these natives
have a peculiar taste for tea…leaves。 I think they believe them
to be a medicine； but I don't suppose they would come so far for
them； though perhaps they might in the hope of getting the head
of Oro。 Anyhow； I am going to stop here。〃
〃Pray do；〃 said Bickley。 〃Are you ready； Humphrey？〃
I nodded； and he handed to me a felt…covered flask of the non…
conducting kind； filled with boiling water； a tin of preserved
milk； and a little bottle of meat extract of a most concentrated
sort。 Then； having lit two of the hurricane lamps and seen that
they were full of oil； we started back up the cave。
Chapter XI
Resurrection
We reached the sepulchre without stopping to look at the parked
machines or even the marvelous statue that stood above it； for
what did we care about machines or statues now？ As we approached
we were astonished to hear low and cavernous growlings。
〃There is some wild beast in there；〃 said Bickley； halting。
〃No； by George！ it's Tommy。 What can the dog be after？〃
We peeped in； and there sure enough was Tommy lying on the top
of the Glittering Lady's coffin and growling his very best with
the hair standing up upon his back。 When he saw who it was；
however； he jumped off and frisked round； licking my hand。
〃That's very strange；〃 I exclaimed。
〃Not stranger than everything else；〃 said Bickley。
〃What are you going to do？〃 I asked。
〃Open these coffins；〃 he answered； 〃beginning with that of the
old god； since I would rather experiment on him。 I expect he will
crumble into dust。 But if by chance he doesn't I'll jam a little
strychnine； mixed with some other dru