Part 37 (2/2)

The ledge on which we rested was about forty feet square Back of us was a confused mass of boulders and chasms, across which I had come when I first encircled the cavern and found Harry

In front was the crevice, guarded by the two e met the solid wall of the cavern, and on the left was the lake itself, whose waters rippled gently at our very feet

At sound of Harry's warning cry I ran to the water's edge and peered round the side of the boulder He was right; but what I saas not very alar

Two rafts had been launched from the enemy's camp Each raft held three Incas--, while the third balanced hi a spear aloft

Turning to Desiree, I called to her to uard the crevice in case of a double attack, I took three of our four spears--one of which had e awaiting the approach of the rafts

They ca but terrifying

”Not much of a navy,” I called to Harry; and he answered, with a laugh: ”Lucky for us! Look at our coast defense!”

One of the rafts was considerably ahead of the other, and in another e The Inca in the center stood with legs spread apart and his spear poised above his head; Ihe would have difficulty to hurl the thing at all Wherein I underrated his skill, and it nearly cost me dear

Suddenly, with hardly a movement of his body, his arm snapped forward

I ducked to one side instinctively and heard the spear whistle past my ear with the speed of a bullet, so close that the butt of the shaft struck the side ofquickly to my feet, and barely in time, for I saw the Inca stoop over, pick up another spear from the raft, and draw it back above his head At the saside, and as I fell to the ground flat on my face I heard the two spears whistle shrewdly over ame they were my masters; it would have been folly to have tried conclusions with theround thirty feet away I sprang to e, where I had before noticed some loose stones in a corner

With two or three of these intwo h the air, one of which tore the skin frolance at the crevice as I passed showedat its entrance; they were at us there, too I heard Desiree shout so at me, but didn't catch the words

My first stone found its goal The two rafts, side by side not forty feet aere a fair mark The stone was nearly the size of a et the distance

It struck the raft on the right fairly; the thing turned turtle in a flash, precipitating its occupants onto the other raft The added weight carried that, too, under the surface, and the six Incas were floundering about in the water

I expected to see the opposite; but, instead, they headed directly toward ht frouish their black heads against the black water; still, I could see their approach Two of them held spears in their hands; I saw the copper heads flash on high

I stood at the edge of the lake, wondering at their folly as I waited; they were now scarcely ten feet away Another few strokes and the foree; ly on his head and he fell back into the water

By that tie, and another; a blow and a quick thrust, and they, too, slipped back beneath the surface, pawing in agony, not to rise again

Just in ti three had lifted himself in the water not five feet aith his spear aimed at my breast

But the poor devil had no purchase for his feet and the thing ide

The next instant he had received a ten-pound stone full in the face and went doith a gurgle At that the reence, turned and swa to Harry, I saw that the crevice also was clear He had left his post and started toward ht here, Hal: have they given it up?”