As Yacka stood on the height above them, his black figure seemed to grow and expand until he looked a giant in stature¹. His rage was terrible, and his whole frame shook with wrath². Shock followed quickly upon shock, but Yacka maintained his foothold, despite the violent concussions³ that rocked the cave.  
A huge piece of rock crashed down at Edgar’s feet, the broken portions flying in all directions. They at once looked round for some place to hide in, and some protection from the falling stones. Crawling along on their hands and knees, they crept under a portion of the slab⁴ upon which the white figure had rested, and which had fallen upon two large rocks that upheld it. Under this they had a safe shelter, providing the ground held firm. Above the roar and din⁵ of falling rocks they could now hear the peals⁷ of thunder, which sounded like salvos of artillery⁸. A crack in the roof of the cavern⁹ admitted the lightning, which darted¹⁰ in and out incessantly¹¹.
 
From where they were hidden they could see Yacka, who still stood a solitary¹² black figure amidst this chaos¹³. The black was lost to all sense of danger, even to the nature of the surroundings. One thought alone absorbed him—the sudden vanishing of the white figure of Enooma. He peered into the depths below him, but could see nothing; he waved his hands wildly, and uttered loud cries.
 
Watching him intently, Edgar and Will were afraid every moment he would jump into the fissure¹⁴, or be hurled¹⁵ into it by a sudden shock. After a few moments’ pause in this battle of the forces of Nature, another shock was felt. They heard the same dull, rumbling¹⁶ sound, and felt the vibration¹⁷ of the earth beneath them. The movement increased in force, until they were rocked to and fro, and had to cling to the edge of the slab for support. Another rush of fallen rocks and stones took place, and after a terrific and prolonged peal⁶ of thunder a dead silence reigned¹⁸. After the deafening¹⁹ noise the sudden silence could almost be felt; the change was marvellous.
 
‘It is all over,’ said Edgar. ‘Thank God, we are alive!’
 
They crept out of their hiding-place and looked for Yacka, but he was nowhere to be seen. Hastily they scrambled²⁰ on to the fallen slabs²¹, and looked down into the dark hole where the figure of Enooma had fallen.
 
‘Yacka, Yacka!’ shouted Edgar.
 
There was no answer, except a loud echo of his voice. Again Edgar shouted, and this time there was a faint response.
 
‘He has fallen down,’ said Will. ‘How are we to reach him? He may be fatally injured.’
 
They looked round for some means of descending²² in safety, and after peering down the hole for some time Edgar said:
 
‘There is a light at the bottom, and now I can see better; the rocks seem to be piled up in heaps. We may be able to descend²³ by slipping from one to the other. It is our only chance, and we must try it.’
 
They prepared for their perilous²⁴ descent; they had no rope, and nothing out of which a support of any kind could be made.
 
Edgar knelt down, and Will caught hold of one hand as he glided²⁵ over the edge.
 
‘All right,’ said Edgar, ‘I have a foothold here.’
 
Will followed, and the same operation was repeated, and Edgar again found a firm footing lower down. He stood still, and helped Will to follow him. It was slow work, but by degrees they neared the bottom.
 
Edgar looked down from the ledge²⁶ upon which he was standing²⁷, and saw Yacka lying near the foot of the rock.
 
‘Are you badly hurt?’ he called out.
 
‘Not much hurt,’ replied Yacka. ‘My leg pains, but is not broken.’
 
‘It is a big drop from here,’ said Edgar, ‘but it does not look a dangerous place to fall on. I’ll chance it.’
 
He let himself down to his full length, and then dropped.
 
‘It is quite safe,’ he shouted to Will.
 
Will followed, and they found they were on a bed of moss²⁸ and ferns that had flourished in the darkness, and had been kept green by the dampness.
 
Yacka was not much hurt. He had slipped, and fallen a considerable distance, and his descent had been checked by a projection²⁹ in the rock. From this he had gradually descended³⁰, much in the same way as Will and Edgar.
 
‘Where are we?’ said Edgar. ‘This cavern must have been in its present state a long time.’
 
‘It has,’ said Yacka. ‘This is the place I was to show you. The White Spirit of Enooma guarded the entrance. The place where she rested formed the opening. She fell down here, and is gone; Enooma will be seen no more. When her treasure is gone there will be no need for her to guard it. Her task is ended, and she will watch no more.’
 
‘If the figure fell on the moss and ferns it would not be much injured,’ said Edgar; ‘we will search for Enooma while you rest here.’
 
‘It is not good for Yacka to remain; he will search with you,’ said the black.
 
‘She must be near here,’ said Will. ‘See, there is the opening down which she fell.’
 
They searched in every direction, but could find no trace of the figure. Edgar felt they were treading on some soft substance like sand, and, stooping down, felt it with his hands. It was like powder, quite white and fine.
 
‘The figure must have crumbled³¹ away,’ said Edgar. ‘Look at this powder’; and he handed some to Will.
 
Yacka looked at it curiously³², and said:
 
‘Enooma has gone; the White Spirit has left her cave, and has shown no sign.’
 
‘This is a sign,’ said Edgar. &lsq............