Part 34 (2/2)

We straightened to return for the spears which we had left at the edge of the water

”He's got a hide like an elephant,” said Harry ”What can we skin hiht ahead at the e where stood two Incas, spear in hand, returning aze stolidly

Chapter XV

THE RESCUE

I was quick to act, but the Incas were quicker still I turned to run for our spears, and was halted by a cry of warning from Harry, who had wheeled like a flash at my quick movement I turned barely in tie forward, the spears shooting fro; I stooped swiftly and grasped the spear-thong before there was time for the Inca to recover and jerk it out of my reach The other end was fastened about his waist; I had hilance at Harry, saw that he had adopted the sa that escape was iht at us

It wasn't ht One ca bull; I sidestepped easily and floored hile blow

He scrambled to his feet, but by that time I had recovered the spear and had it ready for him

I waited until he was quite close, then let him have it full in the chest The fool literally ran hi himself on the sharp point in a brutal frenzy He lay on his back, quite still, with the spear-head buried in his chest and the shaft sticking straight up in the air

I turned to Harry, and in spite of ht ar his spear ready His left foot was placed well and gracefully forward, and his body bent to one side like the classic javelin-thrower And ten feet in front of hiround with arms extended in mute supplication for quarter

”What shall I do?” asked Harry ”Let him have it?”

”Can you?”

”The fact is, no Look at the poor beggar--scared silly But we can't let hio”

It was really a question Mercy and murder were alike i his wrists and ankles and trussing his for the purpose, and gagging hie boulder soe and tucked hiet back--if we ever do--we can turn hiive much for his chances of a happy existence,” I observed

We wasted no time after that, for anted no more interruptions

So to withdraw the spear I had buried in the body of the Inca, but the thing had becoed between two ribs and refused to coave it up and threw the corpse in the lake

We then removed the oars and spears and raft--which had floated so near to the ledge that we had no difficulty in recovering it--to our hiding-place, and last we tackled our fish

It was a task for half a dozen e to skin him and cut him up After an hour of exertion and toil that left us coe boulder to the left of the ledge, but it was impossible to carry him to the place we had selected, which could be reached only by passing through a narrow crevice

The only knives we had were the points of the spears, but they served after a fashi+on, and in another hour we had him skinned and pretty well separated He was meaty and sweet We discovered that with the first opportunity, for ere hungry as wolves Nor did asteour lack of a fire, for we had lived so long on dried stuff that the opposite extreme was rather pleasant than otherwise

We tore hi thee, a spot kept cool by the water but a foot below

”That'll be good for a month,” said Harry ”And there's more where that came from And now--”