Part 35 (1/2)

I understood, and I answered simply: ”I'm ready”

We had but few preparations to make The solidest parts of the fish which we had laid asidestrapped together with one of the extra spear-thongs and slung them on our backs We secreted the oars and raft and the extra spear as snugly as possible

Then, having filled ourselves with raw fish and a last hearty drink from the lake, we each took a spear and started on a search wilder than any ever undertaken by Amadis of Gaul or Don Quixote hiht, did not present so outrageous an appearance to the eye as we We worethan the Incas, which is the uess at the direction we should take; but that was settled for us e found that there were but two exits froh the boulders and crevices to a passage full of twists and turns and streith rocks, alh which the Incas had entered We chose the latter

Fifty feet from the cavern we found ourselves in darkness I stopped short

”Harry, this is impossible We cannot mark our way”

”But what can we do?”

”Carry one of those urns”

”Likely! They'd spot us before we even got started”

”Well--let them”

”No You're in for the finish I know that I want to find Desiree

And we'll find her After that, if nothing else is left, I'll be with you”

”But I don't want a thousand of those brutes falling on us in the dark

If they would end it I wouldn't care”

”Keep your spear ready”

I had given him my promise, so I pushed on at his side I had no sto myself, because it is necessary; but why seek it when there is nothing to be gained? Thus I reflected, but I pushed on at Harry's side

As he had said, I was in for the finish What I feared was to be taken again by the Incas unseen in the darkness But that fear was soon removed when I found that we could see easily so in case of attack

Our flannel shi+rts and woolen undergars and tatters Our feet were bare and bruised and swollen Our faces were covered with a thick, rowth of hair Placed side by side with the Incas it is a question which of us would have been judged thespectacles by an impartial observer

I don't think either of us realized the extree was open and unobstructed, and since it appeared to be the only way to their fishi+ng-ground, was certain to be well traveled The alariven, there was no possible chance for us

We sought the royal apartments Those we knew to be on a level soreat cavern, at the foot of the flight of steps which led to the tunnel to the base of the colu an average height of six inches, they represented a distance of forty-eight feet

How far the whirlpool and the stream which it fed had carried us doe did not know, but we estimated it at one hundred feet

That calculation left us still fifty feet below the level of the royal apartments

But we soon found that in this ere mistaken We had advanced for perhaps a quarter of an hour without incident when the passage ca lane that disappeared around a corner alht passage, sloping gently upward We took the latter

We had followed this for about a hundred yardsa light ahead Caution was useless; the passage was straight and unbroken and only luck could save us from discovery We pushed on, and soon stood directly within the light which cae It was not that which we sought, however, and we gave it barely a glance before we turned to the right down a cross passage, finding ourselves again in darkness

Soon another light appeared We approached It ca into an apartment some twenty feet square It was e urns fastened to the wall above a granite couch

Stone seats were placed here and there about the rooht of four or five feet