Air Ship Boys : Or, the Quest of the Aztec Treasure

by Frank V. Webster

  CHAPTER XXX

  A QUARTER OF A TON OF TREASURE

  It was impossible for the boys even to venture an estimate on thevalue of the immense mine of turquoise, although they realized thatthe increasing scarcity of the jewel made the beautiful and uniquespecimens everywhere about them worth a great deal of money. Norhad they any idea of the value of the mother-of-pearl bowls, nor ofthe hundreds of beautiful and unique ceremonial and funeral urns andvases. Least of all, could they put even an approximate price onthe amethyst and pearl necklaces. Even their most sanguine hopes ofdiscovering the hidden city of Cibola had not led the adventurers toinvestigate the current prices of precious stones.

  Knowing, however, what the prices of gold and silver were, theycould form some estimate of the worth of this part of the treasure.

  By comparison with the known weights of certain articles in the carthe two boys made the following list of metal pieces discovered:

  GOLD POUNDS

  Twelve bands. Weight each 2 lbs. 1 oz. 26 Two bowls. Weight each 6 lbs 12 Two "body-scrapers." Weight each 9 oz 1 1/2 Wings, head and talons of Sacred Eagle 82 Breastplate 3 Radiating sun over entrance 12

  Total, 136 1/2, or 1,638 ounces.

  SILVER POUNDS

  Twenty-four bands. Weight each 1 lb. 8 oz 40 Four bowls. Weight each 5 lbs 20 Four "body-scrapers." Weight 10 oz.. 3 1/3 Body of Sacred Eagle. Weight 218 Ninety-six miscellaneous rings, bands, anklets and wristlets, many set with mother-of-pearl and turquoise 16 1/3

  Total, 297 2/3, or 3,580 ounces.

  The market value of these precious metals was easily computed. Thesilver at sixty cents an ounce was worth $2,148. The more valuablegold, at twenty dollars an ounce, was worth $32,760. Together, the484 pounds were worth $34,908.

  "And one-third of that," said Ned with a smile--almost discerniblebeneath his dust--begrimed face, "is nearly $12,000. And that is$6,000 for each of us."

  "But how about the amethysts and pearls?" said Alan.

  "I suppose," answered Ned, "that they are worth a great deal more,but I don't know. I should think that those that have no holes inthem would be very valuable."

  All this figuring was intensely interesting, but the boys, as therevelation progressed, knew that they were now facing a new problem.They could not possibly carry that gold and silver, to say nothingof even a portion of the exquisite mother-of-pearl bowls or thefinest samples of the turquoise. When, in the end, nearly a quarterof a ton of the metal treasure alone lay in a heap in the corner ofthe temple vestibule they could come to but one conclusion.

  This portion of the treasure would have to be removed at anothertime.

  "It has lain here undisturbed for over three hundred years," saidNed hopefully, though sadly, "and we'll have to take a chance thatit can be left a while longer."

  Sorrowfully enough Alan agreed. It was to be no easy work gettingout of the wilderness, and food must be carried. That might be moreprecious to them than gold before they saw a railroad again. Theboys agreed to take at noon the next day the exact latitude andlongitude of the mesa. The latitude, on one slip of paper, was tobe carried by one boy and the longitude, on another piece, was to bein the possession of the other. This was a precaution againstaccidental revelation of the treasure mesa.

  The set jewels were removed. There were two hundred and ninety-fourpierced pearls and ninety-eight pierced amethysts. Among the wholegems, eighteen magnificent pearls were extracted from the jeweledbelt. Eighteen unpierced amethysts were also taken from thealternating turquoise squares of the belt and sixteen magnificentamethysts from the gold breastplate.

  It was then that the sewing kit supplied by Alan's sister Mary cameinto service. A small piece of aluminum waterproof silk cabincovering was converted into two flat bags and in these the stones,equally divided, were enclosed and concealed under the clothing andbeneath the right arm of each lad. In addition, each boy took halfof the mother-of-pearl and turquoise belt plates as the finestspecimens of each material.

  "And to show that there is gold too," suggested Alan, "we might aswell take along, these gold 'scrapers,' which won't bother us much,"So these two pieces were strung on cords and suspended about thenecks of the young treasure seekers.

  "And to-morrow," exclaimed Ned joyfully when all this was done,"we'll get down from here and get a bath."

  "Amen," added Alan earnestly.

  Until it was twelve o'clock, the time to take their observation, theboys spent the next morning in last preparations and makingeverything shipshape. The framework of the car was left intact, butweighted by stones to prevent injury by the wind. Everythingmovable was stored in the entrance room of the temple, includingthree and one-half cans of gasoline. The engine was oiled andcovered with blankets. Underneath the smoothly folded balloon, inthe folds of which dry sand had been liberally sprinkled to preventpossible adhesions of the varnish, lay nearly thirty-five thousanddollars' worth of curiously wrought gold and silver. This was firstcompletely covered with sand.

  The two provision packs for the retreat to civilization had beencarefully arranged. How long the journey might take they could notestimate. They had decided to their way east, in hope of falling inwith Elmer and Bob, and this meant the crossing of at least twomountain ranges and thirty miles of barren foothills to MountWilson. Then, if they turned south, they would traverse eighty-fivemiles of sandy plain in which water was infrequent.

  Their own provisions were exhausted. What they now depended on wasthe emergency case secured from the Arrow. This supply was intendedto be enough for two men for two weeks.

  "It certainly ought not take us that long,"' complained Alan. "Whynot leave half the supply and take a little gold?"

  But Ned was obdurate. He explained that they might fall in with theother boys, and that if they did Elmer and Bob might be wholly outof supplies.

  "We can come back if we get out in good shape," explained Ned, "andif we don't get out what'll be the use of a back load of gold?"

  That settled it. The food packs were made up of the followingsupplies: Flour, 12 lbs; corn meal, 5 lbs; beans, 5 lbs; bacon, 7 1/2lbs; rice, 5 lbs; oatmeal, 2 lbs; baking powder, 1/2 lb; coffee, Ilb; tea, 1/2 lb; sugar, 5 lbs; lard, 2 1/2 lbs; salt, 1/2 lb; pepper,1/8 lb. Each provision pack weighed twenty-one pounds. In additionthere was an aluminum frying pan, a coffee pot and two aluminumplates. A water canteen, a blanket, a revolver and belt ofammunition and a knife apiece completed the equipment. Alan carriedin addition the "snake bite" case, the compass and small hatchet,and Ned the money belt containing over five hundred dollars in gold.

  The sealed glass tubes of matches were divided between the two boysand then, as it was noon, the sextant that Ned had been so carefulto bring with them was used for the first and last time. Theobservation made and noted, and the record of it divided as planned,Ned and Alan were ready to begin their attempt to make their way outof the rock-bound wilderness. With provisions, water, blanket andarms each lad was carrying about thirty-five pounds.

  "Would you still like a few pounds of Aztec treasure?" laughed Nedas they stood with packs adjusted.

  "I should say not," retorted Alan; "I'm satisfied."

  The method of lowering themselves from the hole in the face of thecliff to the ground, one hundred feet beneath, had been worked outin detail and the apparatus made in the evenings by the light oftheir camp fire. And early that morning Alan had carried the longrope ladder down the chasm and to the mouth of the tunnel. Now, inaddition to their packs, the two boys carried between them a sectionof one of the pine trees, about six feet long.

  As they stood, ready to leave, Ned raised his cap.

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sp; "Good bye, old Cibola," he said with moisture in his eyes, "until wemeet again, if ever."

  "If ever?" added Alan quickly with as much gaiety as he couldsummon. "You don't think we'll ever let anyone else lift thatlittle pile?" and he pointed to the well filled entrance room of thetemple.

  "No," answered Ned, soberly, "if we have as good luck on the land aswe had in the air."

  Ned and Alan meant to reach the earth by means of a rope ladder.This they had constructed from the stout Italian hemp suspensioncords of the Cibola. These ropes, each thirty feet in length, wereknotted and then doubled to insure strength. For the lasttwenty-five feet at the bottom the landing ladder of the balloon wasused. The rungs, two feet apart, were of pine from a felled tree,and were thirty-eight in number.

  For anchorage, the six-foot length of tree was dragged to the mouthof the tunnel and, five feet from the opening, wedged between thefloor and roof of the tunnel, slightly inclined forward. The strainon the bottom would thus only fix the supporting section more firmlyin place. From the bottom of the pine shaft a loop of four of thesuspension cords reached just out of the tunnel opening. To thisloop the top rang of the ladder was tied, with a separatehundred-foot length of cord. After the ladder had been made firmwith a running slip knot the hundred-foot length of cord was droppedto the ground.

  This arrangement had been provided in order that the rope laddermight be removed after the descent. By a jerk of the cord the slipknot would be loosened and the ladder, released, would fall of itsown weight. Another length of rope had been prepared, this onesomewhat over a hundred feet long and also doubled for strength.This was for the lowering of the packs and other articles by one ofthe boys after the other had descended. To insure its free runningand to prevent its wearing through on the edge of the cliff, a sixinch section of the pine tree had been prepared, flattened on oneside and having a wide smooth groove in the top. This, attached toa short length of rope, which was made fast with the ladder loop tothe upright shaft in the tunnel, was fixed on the verge of theopening.

  Finally everything had been arranged and made fast. Each of the twoboys insisted that he should go down first. To solve the dispute,they cast lots and the risk of testing the rope fell to Ned.Slipping off his shoes and socks, which he hung about his neck, hesprang to the ladder. Alan hung over the edge and watched him withapprehension, but Ned, feeling his way carefully, was soon on theground.

  His shout was the signal to begin the work of lowering the packs.And down they came, one after another; provisions, revolvers,blankets, water bottles, and even the money belt, for Ned had madehimself as light as possible for his descent.

  At last it was Alan's turn. The last load had descended, thelowering line had been released, drawn up and stowed away. The slipknot was examined anew and then Alan followed Ned down the slender,fragile swaying rope ladder. When he had reached the ground byNed's side and the strain was over, the boys shook hands jubilantly.

  "--And now," shouted Ned with a laugh, "last chance! If you want togo back for a new load say so before it is too late."

  Alan, exhausted with the climb, shook his head.

  "Then stand from under," cried Ned.

  As he jerked the slip knot cord the boys sprang aside and the longladder, wriggling, crashed at their feet.

  The only means of reaching the towering elevation had been removedand the only visible sign of their brief occupancy of the secretmesa had been destroyed.