Part 20 (1/2)
Their silence remains inexplicable; but it was probably the result of the nature of their surroundings I have spoken before of the innumerable echoes and reverberations that followed every sound of the voice above a whisper At ti; and time may have enerations of this inconvenience or danger would be the stoppage of speech, leading possibly to a complete loss of the faculty I am satisfied that they were incapable of vocalization, for even the women did not talk! But that is ahead of the story
I occupied myself with these reflections, and found amusement in them; but it was impossible to lead Harry into a discussion Hisbut scientific, anyway; and he was completely obsessed by fear for the safety of Desiree And I wasn't sorry for it; it is better that a man should worry about so her, or even of saving ourselves, appeared to one, for the descendants of Incas could scarcely be cannibals; but there are other fates equally final, if less distasteful The fact that they had not even taken the trouble to bind us was an indication of the strictness of their watch
The hours crept by At regular intervals our food was replenished and we kept the platter eainst a possible need
It was always the saressive taste I tried to convey to one of our captors the idea that a change of diet would be agreeable, but either he did not understand th returned, and with it hope Harry began to be is besides the return of strength; first, to lay in a supply of food that would be sufficient for many days in case we escaped, and second, to allow our eyes to accustom themselves better to the darkness
Already ere able to see with a fair auish the for us food and water when they were fifteen or twenty feet away But the cavern in which ere confined e one, for ere unable to see a wall in any direction, and we did not venture to explore for fear our captors would be moved to bind us
But Harry beca expedition Caution seemed useless; if the darkness had eyes that beheld us, doubly so We strapped our ponchos, heavy with their food, to our backs, and set out at rando our eyes ahead and from side to side It was folly, of course, in the darkness--like trying to beat a gaame But we moved on as noiselessly as possible
Suddenly a wall loo at Harry's arm, and he nodded We approached the wall, then turned to the right and proceeded parallel with it, watching for a break that would mean the way to freedo the base of the wall, reaching up its side to a height of about two feet and seeround At first I took it for a separate strata of rock, darker than that above But there was a strange brokenness about its appearance that made me consider it more carefully
It appeared to be composed of curious knots and protuberances I stopped short, and, advancing a step or tard the wall, gazed intently Then I saw that the dark line was not a part of the wall at all; and then--well, then I laughed aloud in spite ofwas too ludicrous
For that ”dark line” along the botto Incas! There they sat, silent, h the cavern they gave not the slightest sign that they either heard or saw Yet it was certain that they had watched our everyfor it but retreat With our knives we h; but ere unarth
Harry took it with more philosophy than I had expected As for ht our for it by the platter and basin which we had e attean:
”I'll tell you what they are, Paul; they're frogs Nothing but frogs
Did you see 'em? The little black devils! And Lord, how they smell!”
”That,” I answered, ”is the effect of--”
”To the deuce with your y or anthromorphism or whatever you call it I don't care whatsays of the oonts--'ars sit, and here we sit!”
”If we could only see--” I began
”And what good would that do us? Could we fight? No They'd s in that cave the other day?”
”Yes; on a golden throne An ugly little devil--the ugliest of all”
”Sure; that why he's got the job Did he say anything?”
”Not a word; merely stuck out his arm and out ent”
”Why the deuce don't they talk?”
I explained ressions Harry listened politely
”I don't knohat you mean,” said he when I had finished, ”but I believe you Anyway, it's all a stupendous joke In the first place, we shouldn't be here at all And, secondly, why should they want us to stay?”