Stooping down, I lifted her up, signing to her to put her arms round my neck, which she did.

Then calling to Bickley and Bastin to bring along the Ancient between them, with some difficulty I struggled out of the sepulchre, and started down the cave.

She was more heavy than I thought, and yet I could have wished the journey longer.

To begin with she seemed quite trustful and happy in my arms, where she lay with her head against my shoulder, smiling a little as a child might do, especially when I had to stop and throw her long hair round my neck like a muffler, to prevent it from trailing in the dust.
A bundle of lavender, or a truss of new-mown hay, could not have been more sweet to carry and there was something electric about the touch of her, which went through and through me.

Very soon it was over, and we were out of the cave into the full glory of the tropical sun.