by Van Powell
CHAPTER XX ON THE TEMPLE STEPS
There was an instant of absolute silence. Cliff was hesitating over thechance of springing past the soldiers to get to his father. The friendsbehind were stunned. The soldiers still had enough awe of "Chasca" todelay.
Then Huamachaco caught one of Cliff's arms and dragged him sharply downthe steps and sideways so that he stumbled. Challcuchima caught him ashe scuffled down the stone slabs, off his balance. In the same secondTom and Nicky had leaped past Bill. Nicky grappled with and tripped theIndian priest while Tom dragged down Challcuchima from behind. Bill andMr. Whitley were out on the steps at once. Bill lifted the shiningrevolver which he had recovered from Cliff when they left the feast.
"Stop!" he shouted. But there was a grumble and murmur from the crowdpressed against the line of soldiers, with their tin-and-copper alloyswords out and ready. There was more danger than merely that of arrestand confinement. There was an ominous threat in the sound of thathoarsely guttural murmur.
Cliff had his arms free; a soldier, seeing that no harm came to thosewho had seized Chasca, himself advanced. Cliff backed toward the templesteps again, at Mr. Whitley's swift order.
But Challcuchima had flung off Tom, had, in fact, given him a viciouspunch that took Tom's wind for the instant.
Challcuchima caught at Cliff again. Cliff's hand shot out as Mr. Whitleyleaped off the step and swung the Inca's older brother aside before hecould aid Challcuchima. Cliff's blow struck true and the younger sonwent down.
"Get back into the temple!" cried Bill.
There was a sharp, startling bark from his revolver; he fired above theheads of the crowd.
That unusual sound arrested every motion for an instant. Nicky squirmedfree from Huamachaco who had risen and grasped him. Cliff startedbackward but his foot caught on the lowest step. He lost his balance butNicky caught and steadied him. Bill and Mr. Whitley rushed down to aidTom, who had dropped, sick and weakened by Challcuchima's unexpectedblow.
Then there came an ominous sound--a laugh of triumph.
The Inca, with several soldiers, had gained the top step and escape intothe temple was cut off!
The angry crowd surged forward, pushing the soldiers with them.
Cliff leaped forward and caught Tom, steadying him as he regained hisbreath. Bill swung and pointed his weapon straight at the Inca.
"You get back," he said meaningly in quichua, "or this magic stick willspeak and send you to your fathers!"
The Inca wavered uncertainly; but Challcuchima thrust between Cliff andTom, Nicky raced to his assistance, Huamachaco cried out, "Capture theone who calls a white stranger his father!" and the entire crowd surgedforward.
Bill and Mr. Whitley leaped up on the steps in concerted action and sosudden and unexpected was the rush that they upset one soldier whoclutched at his comrade. Both fell. Bill gave the Inca a poke and hetottered down the side steps.
But others were ready to rush in.
Cliff spoke swiftly to his comrades, drew a paper of matches from hispocket; the crowd hesitated as he struck a match, backed to the clearedspace behind them that offered a way to the temple steps. The soldiershad not yet closed in behind them.
Cliff did not speak; but his upflung hand caused curiosity in the mindsof the simple natives.
Even the soldiers held quiet, an officer muttering some word to staythem. Methodically Cliff drew a squat, stubby paper tube from his robe.He handed it to Nicky; another to Tom.
"Light the fuses when I strike the match," he whispered. "Then throwthem down in front of us and all make for the doorway!"
He drew out a third tube, struck a match. Three fuses came together. Butat the same instant a soldier leaped forward to jostle Cliff's arm. Butthe fuses caught.
Their sputter heralded a trickle of pitchy, pungent black smoke; thetubes were such smoke-pots as are used by motion picture companies, andsuch as were used in the war, for fire scenes and smoke screens.
"Drop them--now!" cried Cliff. The three flung down their tubes andretreated; Bill and Mr. Whitley were at the door. Cliff lit another tubeas Mr. Whitley reached to hasten the youths up the steps.
The crowd, seeing them move back a step, began to surge forward but thesmoke began to pour up in a huge, spreading cloud. It spread in theslight breeze, blew into the eyes and throats of the soldiers and of themob.
Coughing, choking, startled and awed, they fell back against thosepressing forward. The smoke spread into a great fan, hiding the exit ofthe five; the only one who might have seen them was the Inca; but he wastoo busy picking himself up.
The smoke subsided. The crowd gasped.
Their quarry seemed to have disappeared as if by magic!