by E. J. Craine
CHAPTER V.
THE WAY OUT
The bandits sat up, stared with mouths gaping at the band of Indiansfiling silently past them. Neither Mills nor Lang appeared to realizethat the captives had managed to free themselves of the ropes, and theFlying Buddies, the small guns resting ready in their palms, were on thealert, prepared to turn the tables on the men if necessary.
In the meantime the entire passage was illuminated with a weird yellowlight and the natives' moving bodies cast grotesque shadows before,behind and all about them. Huge dark figures out of all proportion,wavered through the narrow cavern as they, completely ignoring thepresence of the white men, passed along soundlessly. It was a strangespectacle the lads witnessed, and one they could not explain. There wereabout forty or fifty men, women and young girls, all carrying preciousburdens in ancient receptacles, and occasionally a glittering objectfell from the over-flowing containers. One of these dropped betweenLang's knees and his eyes glowed greedily as they rested on it, but hesat with eyes and mouth open and did not move.
For ten or fifteen minutes the strange procession passed slowly alongand finally the last man, a tall young Indian armed with a long,black-tipped spear, brought up the rear. He paused for an instant besideMills, and stared down at the man who crouched in terror, then heproceeded to join his companions. He was out of sight before Lang leapedto his feet. In his hand was the jewel which had fallen, and his facewas contorted with viciousness.
"Mills, it's native--"
"Think I'm blind," Mills muttered, but he got up more slowly; it was noteasy to rid himself of the effect of those dark piercing eyes.
"They are carrying away tons of stuff; gold and stones. We hit the placeall right. Come on, we'll see where they hide it and help ourselves--"Lang was nearly consumed with excitement.
"Help ourselves--" Mills repeated dully.
"Sure, look!" He held out the shining trinket. "Those natives always dothat, I've read about it. Years ago--they hid carloads of stuff andnobody could find it, but lately some caches have been located and thesefellows are hiding their treasures in a new place. We'll see where itis--"
"Say, Bo, listen, we aint awake, see! This is a dream I'm havin', all bymyself, you aint in it at all, but you seem to be." Mills brushed hishand over his forehead.
"Oh, you're crazy," Lang insisted.
"Just asleep. We been thinkin' so much about those hiding places thatI'm dreaming all this, but listen, if it was real those fellows wouldnever have trailed right over us like that--never--why, I could seeright through them--it's a dream I tell you--"
"Come along, I'll show you if it's a dream," Lang shouted. "They'll getaway if we don't hustle." He dashed off after the last Indian who haddisappeared from sight.
Mills followed reluctantly at a slower pace, while the Flying Buddiescautiously brought up the rear. As he went on they could hear himmuttering to himself that he was dreaming, that it wasn't real, and Langwas a nut.
"It does seem queer," Bob remarked thoughtfully.
"Shall I give you a pinch so you'll be sure you are awake?" Jim askedsoberly.
"Yes, go ahead," Caldwell invited. His step-brother started to complybut he no sooner got a bit of the fleshy part of his arm between hisfingers than Bob drew away. "I'm convinced. Come on, hurry up, it isn'tas light as it was!"
The pellets the boys had swallowed some hours earlier had refreshed themamazingly so they forgot that they had had little food, rest or water,as they ran as hard as they could go along the passage, which presentedno difficulties to progress. They had raced about five minutes beforethey overtook Lang and Mills, and some distance ahead they could see thebacks of the Indians marching forward with dignified tread. Nearly aquarter of an hour the white men followed the dark ones through theopening in the dense forest until at last Lang, who was leading, pausedand raised his hand. Mills drew close to his partner, but the FlyingBuddies remained at a respectful distance. They were on higher groundand could see quite easily what was happening.
The place beyond where the Buddies were standing was like a deep gullywhose sides rose steeply, like a wall. Thick vines grew about twentyfeet from the bottom and these were woven across the top in animpenetrable mass through which neither rain nor sunshine could pass.The boxes and baskets were placed on the ground in a circle and the menstood behind them, each armed with long and short spears. It looked asif the women were moving about preparing a meal, but suddenly there camea fierce braying of dogs, the thunder of galloping hoofs, hundreds ofthem, and the deafening clatter of steel. A moment later a huge blackbrute with powerful hungry jaws leaped in from behind the rocks, andalmost instantly a horse and rider raced furiously in after him.
"Great Guns, Bob, he's in armor," Jim whispered.
"Bronc and all," Caldwell added in amazement. It reminded the boys ofsome historical moving picture in which armored knights and horsessuddenly leaped to life and action. For a breathless instant they stoodtoo astonished to speak.
After their leader, a great pack of the dogs rushed along with soldiersprotected from head to foot by their coats of mail and helmets. Queerweapons were fired, blunderbusses and heavy cross-bows, long swordsflashed and after ten minutes of the wildest confusion the natives weredead, all except a few women and children who were slung up behind thesoldiers, while others gathered the treasure in their arms and gallopedaway with the rich booty, but as they scrambled up the rocks, a numberof them were dislodged and came tumbling down. The stones seemed to markthe wall of some natural dam, for instantly there was a terrific boom,boom, and tons of water roared over, sweeping the burdened horseshelplessly before it. Snarling and fighting the dogs struggled to swimto safety, but most of them were battered by heavy armor or kickinghoofs, so that they sunk with their laden masters in the swirling water.
"Get back," Lang shrieked in terror, but although the water had reachedtheir side, the main part of it found a lower outlet, and it flowed offamong the boulders. However it was deep enough so that there was noevidence of what it concealed, and the four who had witnessed thehorrible tragedy stared mutely at one another.
"I tell you I'm dreaming," Mills repeated.
"Let's get out of here," cried Lang, glancing about him fearfully.
"How are we going to do it?"
"Follow the stream around to the other side," Jim suggested.
"Say, what in--"
"You needn't say it," Jim snapped, or rather barked. "Face about and getgoing. Make it lively--"
"You brats--"
"Save those little pleasantries for later, old man," Jim ordered. "It'syour turn to lead this party--"
"I'll be killed--"
"Surely," Bob cut in. "You'll get what you promised us if you don't doas you are told. The first thing is to relieve yourself of your weapons,all of them. Turn your pockets inside out, both of you."
"Well--"
"Don't wait." Bob pressed forward, the gun pointing straight at Mills'belt and in terror the fellow threw up his hands. "I told you to turnyour pockets inside out, and take off your gun belt. Do it quick or I'llshoot it off. My folks taught me to use a gun when they showed me how tohandle a spoon, and right now I've got a lot against you; my fingers areitching to press the spring, besides it would be no end easier for Buddyand me to get out of this place alone. We're only taking you alongbecause we like your company--"
"We'd better tie them up and leave them here," Jim suggested, althoughhe had no such intention.
"Don't do that--don't do that--" Lang's teeth chattered with fright ashe pleaded, and he hastily turned his pockets wrong side out, alsoremoved his cartridge belt and a holster which he had strapped under hisarm. Jim kicked the stuff into the water, while Bob attended to Mills.
"Now, take off your shirts then we'll be sure you haven't got anythinghidden or try anything queer. I'm going to tie you, but not so that youare as helpless as we were." While Jim stood guard, he secured the pairwith the one lariat, then he
took the end of the rope. "Just a littlefunny business and this will pull up tight, so watch yourself--nowgoose-step."
The two men faced about and started, Caldwell holding one end of theirrope. He had the gun in his other hand, while Jim walked beside him, hisweapon pointed at the bare backs. It was difficult making their wayalong the edge of the stream, but they finally managed it, then saw thatthe route lead forward in a comparatively smooth trail. Two hours theyproceeded, winding in and out, twisting and turning as if the designersof the passage had sought to build a labyrinth for some ancient lover'slane. Then the way grew suddenly quite rugged and a bit later the boysand their captured captors discovered that they were tramping over ahigh stone bridge which seemed to be a natural formation of the rocks.All of the time the vines and trees formed the solid arch above theirheads, but occasionally sections were considerably lighter than others.
"Say, where do you think you are going to take us?" Mills growled.
"Out," Bob answered shortly.
"Yeh, when we get out, then what?"
"To the nearest jail, where you belong," Jim told him.
"Well, I'm telling you now, I'm not going to no jail," Mills cried.
"Aw shut up," Lang ordered.
"Shut up yourself," Mills retorted. "I aint done nothing to go to jailfor--"
"No, well you've done as much as I have--"
"You're a liar." Mills fist shot out and he struck his companion aresounding crack on the side of the face.
Lang's foot went up hard, caught the fellow in the stomach with suchforce that Mills doubled up like a jackknife, screamed with pain, andhis feet slipped so that he slid across the rock.
"Catch him, Lang," Jim shouted quickly.
"He'll take you with him," warned Bob.
At that the gang leader clutched the rope which held the two but Millswas already dangling over the edge. Desperately Lang threw all hisweight on the opposite side. Jim and Bob sprang to help him, but as theypulled the section of the rope which Caldwell had knotted after he hadchewed the strands, parted, and the smaller man went tumbling overbackward into the rushing stream. The boys dared not stop to help him,but put all their strength into dragging Mills to safety. It was minutesbefore the big man was on the bridge again, and by that time there wasno sign of the leader of the gang, although the boys made every effortto locate him. They were panting from the exertion and pale with horrorat what had happened.
"Can you walk now?" Jim asked grimly.
"Yes," Mills answered.
"We'll be on our way." Silently they proceeded and just beyond the nextturn they found themselves in the ruins of an ancient court withmoss-grown stone seats which faced the east.
"Looks a bit like one of the temple ruins near Cuzco," Caldwell remarkedjust to make conversation.
"Yes," replied Austin, then added with a sigh of relief, "Jinks, Buddy,the sun is shining through! Isn't it great!"
"Surely is," Bob agreed. They looked about and although some of thelarger branches of the tall trees interlaced over their heads, thefoliage was not so matted and they were sure that either no attempt hadbeen made by the natives to conceal the spot, or any ancient hidinggrowths had been broken away during the passing years. Mills glancednervously around him and when he saw that they were really in thesunlight, he began to babble incoherently.
"Think we'd better let him go?" Jim suggested. There was pity in histone and he spoke softly for he thought that this last member of thegang that had taken them prisoners was losing what little reason he everpossessed.
"I figure we're out of the passage, but we don't know where we are yet.If we turn him loose he may starve to death before he reaches asettlement or any one runs across him; then, if we let him keep with usuntil we get out it will be safer to keep him in hand. He can be a nastybird and after a while some of the effects of what we were through maywear off, then he'll revert to his charming self again and probably tryto break our necks," Bob answered, and after a moment's consideration,Jim nodded that it was the wiser course.
"Go along," he motioned to Mills, whose knees wobbled under him and hisfingers fumbled inanely about his mouth.
"He's nutty, all right," said Bob.
They advanced toward the towering ruin, and crossed what had once been amagnificent Square with a beautiful fountain playing in the centre. Theclear water still trickled up between the stones, some of which werepolished until they glistened like fiery opals. The other side of thesquare was the first tier of a wide terrace, its massive walls seamed ineven lines as its ancient builders had laid the rocks with infinitecare, one above the other, and side by side. There were a few smallfruit trees whose branches were gnarled and twisted; several giantolives which might have been imported from Spain hundreds of years ago;tall cactus with thorns sharp as spear points and strong as spikes stuckup like sentinels, while patches of smaller varieties spread over largesections of the sandy soil.
The Buddies and their half-witted companion made their way slowly aroundwhere they could walk safely and presently they discovered a groove.They were not sure if it had once been the bed of a small stream or apath worn through the years by the natives whose abodes had beensomewhere in the vicinity, but they followed it because it was easierwalking and soon they reached an irregular, winding stairway with ahigh, stone balustrade on both sides.
"Let's go up as far as we can," Jim proposed.
"That's a good idea. From the top we may be able to get our bearings,"Bob assented. He was usually full of fun despite adventures or danger,but the long hours spent in the passage, the tragic events which hadpiled themselves one after the other, had left him grave. There wasn't asign of a grin on his lips, and his usually laughing eyes were mightythoughtful.
"Hope we can find a way to the plane soon," said Jim as they proceededupward.
"Me too," Bob replied, then he glanced about. "I say, Buddy, the sun iswhere it was when we started in that passage."
"I was thinking of that," Jim told him. They stopped and looked at eachother.
"Suppose we were there more than one round of the clock?"
"I don't believe so. It's a safe bet we were there twenty-four hours, ornearly. I was depending on the plane clock, so didn't wear a watch."
"Red cribbed mine when he was searching me," Bob said quietly.
"Eh, why didn't you tell him it was a relation of the green emeraldrings?" Jim chuckled. "Mills was certainly afraid of them."
"I thought of that, but I should worry. Gosh, Red surely--"
"Here we are on a second terrace," Jim interrupted for he wanted Bob toforget, as fast as he could, that experience at the rotten log where Redhad met his fate.
"Must have been a wonderful structure this," Bob answered. He understoodwhy Jim had cut in, and was as anxious as the older boy to get thetroubles of the last twenty-four hours out of his mind.
"Seems to me I hear something, a sort of tapping," said Jim. They stoodstill and listened, every nerve tense, but gradually they relaxed forthe place was as silent as the bottom of the deepest unopened tomb inthe universe.
"Hear it now?"
"Guess it was my imagination. Come on." They started again, crossed thesecond terrace, and several times they paused to scan the sky. In fact,they were far more interested in what might come out of the path of theblazing sun than what they would discover on terra-firma, for they bothfelt confident that their absence had not passed unobserved by theirfriends at the barracks.
"Figuring that we tramped twelve or fifteen hours all together, how manymiles do you believe we covered?" Jim asked when they stopped to rest onthe third terrace.
"Sometimes we went pretty slowly," Bob answered.
"I know. I was trying to dope it out as we went along. It didn't seem tome as if the passage made many turns, but that's hard to tell because itwent up and down, across rivers and probably under sections of themountains."
"Sure, but it seems to me we can't be as much as a hundred miles fromthe top of that little hill, where we started.
To be sure, it wasn'tvery high, but for natives to have a covered way--gosh--I don't know. Wedid hear that the ancient natives made hidden ways for hundreds ofmiles; they needed to in order to get away, but it doesn't seem possiblethat we can have gone a hundred miles--"
"Anyway, we can't be a hundred air miles from where we started. What I'mtrying to figure is the chances of Bradshaw and some of the restlocating us soon."
"Yes, they'll be hunting sure as fate but I'm afraid even if they flewover that place where the planes were left, they would not notice them.Those lads did a good job of covering up."
"That's right--"
"Jim, shhh--there's somebody, a white man, sneaking behind those rocksjust ahead of us," Bob whispered softly.