George Manville Fenn

“ From time to time the colonel looked back and waved his hand, stopping at last at a spot where the natural track curved suddenly round a sharp point of rock. The mules followed one by one, their heads right down, and their feet carefully planted at every step, till the last had gone round; and then in turn Cyril and John Manning climbed up, and before passing the sharp rock, stopped to gaze down into the vast rift up whose side they had mounted so far. ”

“ No, boy, we are going on, and I don’t think there is anything to fear. These people are all joined together to watch every stranger who comes into their country, in dread lest they should be in search of the Incas’ treasures, and they would be ready to fight in defence.”
“And kill us, father,” said Perry, with his lips paling in the firelight.
“If we let them, boy. But we are well-armed, John Manning and I, and know how to use our weapons if it should come to a struggle, which I doubt.”
“Then you have come in search of something, sir! I knew it,” cried Cyril. ”

“ Then by slow degrees this dim, grey appearance grew and expanded, till the boy made out that the mist rose out of the depths before them, and at last that he and John Manning were crouching upon a ledge of rock on one side of a great gulf, down into which the waters thundered from their right, while overhead the wall of rock rose up nearly straight, the light of day being shut out by the dense mist which rose from below. ”

“ Are you afraid of an eruption?” said the colonel, with a shade of contempt in his voice.—“Feel that stone where he was sitting, Cyril; perhaps it is warm.”
“Yes, it was quite warm when I sat down upon it,” said Perry hastily. “All the stones about here are nearly hot.”
“Of course they are, sir,” cried his father. “Have they not been baking in this hot sunshine? There, sit down and finish your dinner. Mountains don’t break out into eruption without giving some warning.”
“But this must have been quite lately, sir,” said Cyril, to turn the colonel’s fire. ”

“ Just below, the mules were cropping the green herbage, and from below them came the rush, roar, and splash of falling water.
“That’s right,” cried the colonel, holding out his hand. “Slept well? Find your bedroom draughty?”
“I don’t know, father,” said Perry. “I was looking at the stars one minute, and the next I was staring at that glorious peak.”
“Glorious indeed, my boy. Hah! There’s nothing like a tramp in the mountains, and a night’s rest in the beautiful, crisp, fresh air. Come along down to the dressing-room.” ”

“ One time I think they must be such bad shots, they’re afraid to show it, and another I get thinking that they’ve got an idea of your being an indefatigable sort of a gentleman.”
“Well, I am, John Manning,” replied the colonel smiling; “and you know it too.”
“Course I do, sir, but that isn’t what I mean, sir: ’tain’t indefatigable; it’s a word that means something to do with armour, and the more you shoot at any one, the more you won’t hurt him.”
“Invulnerable,” said Cyril.
“That’s it, sir,” cried the old soldier, slapping his leg. ”

“ It was as if he received a blow from a mass of ice which numbed him, and gave his limb a sudden snatch and drag to draw it from the socket.
Perry gave a gasp, and pulled his arm out of the torrent.
“Ugh!” he ejaculated. “It’s freezing.”
“Yes; would you like a plunge in?”
“What! there, father? It would sweep me away.”
“Yes, if you were a thousand times as strong, my lad. The force is tremendous. Come along here.” ”

“ And now from being a smooth, grassy, park-like, open valley, the route they followed began to contract into a gorge, from whose wall-like sides masses of stone had been tumbled down in the course of ages, till the bottom was growing more difficult to traverse every mile they passed; while, for aught they knew in the darkness, they might be skirting precipice and pitfall of the most dangerous kind, depending, as they were, entirely upon the mules. ”

“ I know it isn’t the nuts but the leaves they chew.”
“But the coca leaf’s a different thing.”
“Course it is, sir; one’s a leaf and t’other’s a nut.”
“But, don’t you see, cocoa-nut leaf and coca leaf are different things?”
“No, sir; but it don’t matter. They think I’m hunting for them leaves to chew, and they laugh at me, and all the time I’m getting a good heap of the seeds the colonel wants. ’Tain’t the first time he’s sent me to forage.”
“But where are the seeds?” said Cyril.
“All right, sir,” said John Manning, with a look full of cunning. “Never you put all your eggs in one basket, sir.” ”

“ Soon after, as if nothing whatever had happened, they all sat down to a hearty meal, and that over, once more started upon their journey through the mountains; the Indians seeming more willing, and at the suggestion that the mules should rest for a day or two in that luxuriant pasturage, eagerly assuring the colonel, through Cyril, that for days to come they would find plenty, and that the road would be easier. ”

“ I saw some of those once,” cried Perry, “up by a weir. But why? There are no eels here.”
John Manning chuckled, and shook all over, as if he enjoyed what he was saying.
“Not many, sir, but quite enough. We’re the eels, and we’ve wriggled ourselves right into a trap, and there’s no getting out again.”
“It doesn’t seem as if there were,” said Cyril thoughtfully; “but we’re getting what the colonel wanted, and I don’t think the Indians have noticed it yet.”
“’Tain’t for want of looking, sir,” said the old soldier. ”

“ Just, though, as he was about to close his eyes, so as not to see the poor brute plunge headlong down to where it would certainly be dashed to pieces, the load escaped from the awkward corner, and the mule trudged on just as before, while Perry heard a deeply-drawn sigh just behind him.
“I thought he’d have gone, Master Perry,” said John Manning. “Mules ain’t got no nerves, that’s for certain, and if ever you hear any one say in the future as a donkey’s a stupid animal, you tell him he don’t know what he’s talking about.” ”

“ I have kept watch by sleeping all night.”
“Well, sir, I don’t wonder,” said the man. “I have too, for you didn’t call me to go on duty.”
“Oh, shame!” exclaimed the colonel. “And at a time like this!”
“I don’t see no shame in it, sir,” growled John Manning bluntly. “You wanted sleep like the rest of us, and you couldn’t fight against it. You ain’t an iron man, sir.”
“Silence, sir!” cried the colonel angrily, and he hurried right out of the cave, closely followed by the boys, in time to see the mule disappear low down the gorge, galloping madly among the stones. ”

“ The mules were panting and thirsty, and the exertions of the day, coming upon such a broken night, were telling terribly upon all, so that reluctantly, and as their only resource, the colonel allowed the old leading mule to make straight for the stream which came gurgling out of the cave they had left that morning. Here, to the surprise of all, the intelligent beast, instead of stooping to drink at once, stepped carefully among the stones right into the cool shade within, the rest following, and five minutes later Perry and Cyril were seated inside upon one of the packs. ”

“ We’ve got all the others safe.”
“No, father,” cried Perry excitedly; “two Indians rushed out of this place while you were gone, and each man had one of the packs.”
“What!” cried the colonel in a despairing tone; “three of my precious packages of seed—gone?”
No one spoke; but from out of the darkness came the peculiar sound of one grinding his teeth, and a pang of misery and disappointment shot through Cyril as the colonel said bitterly:
“Two of you with guns, and you could not check those brutes.”
“No, sir,” growled John Manning; “how could they without bay’nets? ’tain’t to be done.” ”

“ They both eagerly showed a little of the seed, and the colonel uttered an ejaculation full of impatience.
“No, no,” he said; “pray be careful. That is not the same as you got for me the day before yesterday.”
“Not mine?” cried Perry.
“No, sir; nor yours either, Cyril. They are both cinchona, but of the inferior, comparatively useless kinds.”
John Manning chuckled.
“But the seeds are so much alike, sir,” said Cyril.
“Yes, but the broken capsules with them are not, boy. The good splits down one way, the inferior the other. There, I suppose I must give you all another lesson. ”

“ Don’t say you’re going to give up like that, sir.”
“No,” said Cyril, setting his teeth. “I’m not going to give up, and he is not going to give up either. We’ll get away somehow, though we can’t see the way just now.”
“That we will, sir,” cried John Manning excitedly. “Bri’sh wits again’ Injun wits. Bah! who says we can’t beat them? It’s all right, gentlemen. I know the colonel, and have known him since he was a slip of an ensign, and I was not much more than a raw Johnny of a boy fresh from the awkward squad. I say I know the colonel, and he’s only been leading us on. ”

“ Where this gold is hidden in the mountains is a sacred trust, which they in their superstitious natures dare not betray. It means death to any one who discovers one of these hoards.”
“If found out,” said the colonel, smoking, with his eyes half shut.
“He would certainly be found out,” said the captain, “and if you persist in going, you must run the risk; but I beg of you not to take that boy Perry with you, to expose him to these dangers.”
“What am I to do with him, then?”
“Leave him with us. He will be happy enough with my boy Cyril; and my wife and I will take every care of him.” ”

“ Where? Indians! What Indians?” said Cyril sharply. “You forget how big the place is, and what great forests and wilds there are over the other side.”
“But it sounds so horrible for a party like that to disappear, and no more to be heard of them,” said Perry.
“Yes, but the Indians are savages, and, as father said, they think they are doing their duty against people who have no right in the country, so your father will have to look out. I wish I were going with you, all the same.”
“You’re safer in San Geronimo, if it’s as bad as you say,” cried Perry. ”

“ Will the Indians kill us?”
“Not without paying dearly for it,” said the colonel sternly. Then changing his manner: “No, my lad. These people are only half-savage, and look upon what they are doing as a duty. I do not think they will kill us if they can get possession of all our baggage. They might keep us in captivity until means are taken to free us; but I don’t know—I hardly feel that our lives are safe.”
“Not very, sir,” said Cyril grimly, “if they rolled big stones. It might have been us instead of the mules this morning.” ”

“ Perry drew his breath hard.
“Don’t stare down the valley any more,” said Cyril, after a pause.
“Why? It’s very beautiful.”
“Because you’re watched. We’re watched always, sleeping or waking.”
“Then we shall never be able to get away,” said Perry despondently.
“Must, my lad. Why, we’re not going to let a pack of half-savage Indians prove too clever for us. What are you thinking about? There, let’s get back at once, or they’ll be thinking we mean something by sitting here.” ”

“ As John Manning afterwards said, those were hours to make a man’s hair turn grey, and to Cyril every minute seemed to be indefinitely prolonged, as he stood till he felt his knees begin to give way beneath him, and finally sank cautiously down upon them—John Manning imitating his movement—till they both rested upon wet, slippery rock. ”

“ They went on then at once, but no fresh sign encouraged them, and at last the closing in of the ravine and the piled-up mountain in front warned them that they were approaching the gloomy chasm into which the river plunged. In fact, half an hour after, the deep booming roar of the fall began to be audible, as if coming from somewhere high up on the mountain-side.
“If it’s coming to a fight,” said Perry, “I hope it will not be in that deep cavernous place near the fall. ”

“ There was a delicious feeling of spring in the air, for though the sun was hot, the air was crisp and cool, making the task of walking easy, and giving the travellers a feeling of elasticity, wanting when passing through the gloomy gorges of the huge mountain-chain. ”

“ The colonel led the way back to the fire, close to which their meal was spread by John Manning, and as the boys drew nearer, they saw that Diego and his companion were hanging about as if wondering why they had not been summoned sooner to partake of the meal.
“Yes, we’re late,” said the colonel aloud, and setting the example, he took his place and began to eat as calmly as if nothing important was on the way.
“Come, boys,” he said quietly, “make a good meal, and don’t look anxious; there are some of the Indians coming up. ”

“ It is the main object of these men to keep the seed from being taken out of the country. Where is the lantern, Manning?”
“Somewhere along with the packages, sir. I think we brought it in with the second lot.”
“You keep guard, while we search the cave. A sharp lookout, mind.—Perry, come with me.—You stay with Manning, Cyril, till I return.”
“Sharp lookout, sir!” growled the old soldier. “Who’s to keep a sharp lookout in the dark, and how’s a man to guard the inside and outside together?—Say, Master Cyril, we’re in a pretty tidy hole here, and it’ll take all we know to get out of it again.” ”

“ Cyril Scents Danger.
As the men in charge of the llamas came in sight of the colonel and his party, they waited for more and more to join them, and it soon became plain that they expected or meditated an attack; but a peaceful message sent on by the colonel gave them confidence, and the swarthy men, for the most part armed, came on, followed now by their charge, till the great opening in the rock-wall was filled by the drove of rough, woolly-looking animals; there being over five hundred in the caravan, and each bearing about a hundredweight of the precious fever-averting bark. ”

“ Then, thanks to John Manning’s campaigning cleverness, before the light on the mountain tops quite died out, they were seated at a comfortable meal, with a good fire crackling and burning between them and the Indians, wood for once in a way being fairly plentiful, there being a little forest of dense scrubby trees low down by the stream which coursed through the bottom of the valley. ”

“ Cyril told him quickly; and as he spoke, the colonel’s hand twitched, and went involuntarily to his side, as if he were seeking a sword.
“Humph!” he ejaculated. Then quietly, and looking at the mules: “That’s right, lads; don’t make a sign. I daresay John Manning is right. He has eyes like a hawk, and he is true as steel. Well, I’m not surprised. I half expected it, though not quite so soon.”
“What shall we do then, father?” said Perry anxiously. “Go back?”
“Englishmen don’t go back, Perry,” said his father gravely. “They would not have colonised the whole world if they did. ”

“ For the light came down softly from high above their heads, showing that though the rocky walls nearly approached, there was a firmly-defined band that would probably be bright and golden when the sun rose, but John Manning’s words were justified as he suddenly leaned forward and said:
“What a place, sir! It’s a wonder there ain’t four of us gone for good.”
Just then the colonel reappeared with half-a-dozen of the raw hide ropes used about the mules for lassoes, tethering, and binding on their loads. ”