James H. Foster

“ But Bob and Joe did not care to observe the beauties of nature just then. Their thoughts were dwelling on the probabilities of the future. What lay in store for them? Would they be able to get home in time to accompany their fathers to the Andes Mountains, or would fate rule that they remain for an indefinite period in this box car? If the truth were known, the youths were not a little worried.
Darkness was beginning to enshroud the travelers, and the necessity of making improvised beds moved them to action. There was a large pile of burlap sacks in a far corner of the car. ”

“ Bob said modestly.
But when he again was able to send a bullet almost directly over the first one, the others knew that it did not just happen.
“Wonderful to be such a shot,” remarked Mr. Wallace. “I suppose it has been the secret of your emerging unharmed from the unknown, hasn’t it?” he said laughing.
“Trying to kid me, are you?” smiled Bob. “Joe and I may be green, but another expedition or two will make us full-fledged explorers. At least we hope so.”
Mr. Wallace grinned.
“That’s what we all think,” he said. “But the fact is, we never do get to be what you call full-fledged explorers. ”

“ After those strenuous weeks in the mountains, the youths had been growing anxious to be with their fathers and Mr. Wallace again. Now, as they viewed the men waving at them from below they were overly anxious to land.
There was a wide open place directly under them, and to this Karl sent the monoplane. When finally it came to a stop, Bob and Joe dashed out and ran to meet their fathers and the scientist from Chicago.
“Boys!” cried Mr. Holton, too joyful for words.
He and Joe’s father and Mr. Wallace fairly ate the youths up in their happiness at seeing them alive and well. ”

“ The shy Indians with their flat “pancake” hats, the curious llamas and alpacas, the magnificent heights of the mighty Andes, the many old ruins of the Incas—all these and more were depicted on the screen.
It was very inspiring, especially to the boys and Mr. Wallace, who were delighted that before long they would be able actually to visit those wonderful places.
During the drive home the naturalist’s conversation was directed chiefly about this inspiring country, his excitement being almost like that of a small boy. But if the naturalist was impressed, the youths were still more. ”

“ Mr. Wallace and the youths’ fathers were to accompany Karl and Bob and Joe in the monoplane. With Mr. Lewis in the cabin, there would be an added load, but Karl told them it would not be dangerous.
“Just have to watch the take-offs and the landings more closely,” the aviator explained. “Outside of that, we’ll never know that another person is inside, as far as the ride goes.”
“Won’t ride any easier?” queried Joe, trying to appear innocent.
“Quit your kidding!” snapped Karl with a laugh. “This bus isn’t an automobile.”
“But a bus is an automobile,” said Joe persistently. ”

“ That evening Bob and Joe went to Dr. Rander’s hut at the edge of Cuzco. The old man seemed glad to see them, offering them the best chairs he had.
“Now about the secrets,” he began, after he had closed the door and made sure that no one was near. “First of all, we must keep it strictly to ourselves. If, while on our way, anyone should ask why we are going into the mountains, we must not tell them.”
“For one thing, we’re going to take movies of the country,” said Joe, and then explained this in full to the old man.
The youths spent all evening at the old man’s hut. ”

“ As this hill stood between the boys and the ruins of the fort, which were located high upon another cliff, they found it almost necessary to climb to the top and then down the other side.
“Now for the ruins,” said Bob eagerly, pointing to the top of the low mountain that was before them.
The youths had begun the difficult climb to the summit and had rounded a turn in the rocks when they caught sight of an old man climbing slowly up the dangerous ridge.
“Look!” cried Joe in terror. “He’s falling!” ”

“ The scientists in that field have in mind mainly to study the ruins of the vanished Inca civilization. Those Indians, you know, that built so many marvelous works of architecture. That’s about as much as I know about them, though,” he laughed. “My line runs straight through the field of natural history and zoölogy, and incidentally anatomy, histology, taxonomy, embryology, ecology——”
“That’s enough!” interrupted Bob, smiling sheepishly. “You don’t expect Joe and me to be acquainted with all those subjects, do you? We’re pretty good shots, but as scientists we’re as yet a complete flop.” ”

“ Gradually the path spiraled down the steep slope until it passed through a narrow valley, which was green with a variety of luxuriant vegetation. So dense were the plants that they almost formed a jungle.
“Look at this,” cried Bob, moving over to a vine that was laden with large red berries. “Wonder if they’re good to eat?”
“Yes.” The old man had broken off a branch and was eagerly partaking of the fruit. “They are wild cherries, or tomatoes, as some call them. There is nothing better for taste.”
“Right you are!” agreed Joe, after he had eaten several of the berries. “They’re fine!” ”

“ Bob secretly wondered if Dr. Rander had suddenly changed his mind about sharing the treasure with them and was using this means to evade them. He did not think the old man treacherous, but he wanted to be on the safe side.
“Over there.” Dr. Rander pointed to a narrow path that circled down the mountainside.
“Suppose,” Bob began, “you and Joe go down the slide while I take the mules down the trail. I don’t like the looks of that glassy slope.”
“All right. I’m no longer young, but I still like sport. Here I go.” ”

“ There we will find the treasure, if there is any.”
The youths’ hearts beat rapidly. They could hardly believe that at last they were nearing the great secret.
“But,” hesitated Bob Holton, “how are we going to get across this roaring river?”
“That,” the old explorer returned, “will be the most difficult part of our entire journey. Come. Let me show you.”
They followed him to the edge of a high rock that protruded far out over the seething rapids. ”

“ Karl Sutman left them at the airport, promising to get in touch with them within the next few days.
At their homes Bob and Joe and their friend were given a profound welcome by Mrs. Holton and Mrs. Lewis, who were desirous of knowing about their experience.
“We had a wonderful time,” said Joe, as they all sat in the Lewis living room. “And we met with adventures aplenty. There’s nothing quite like exploration, especially when you’re looking for ancient secrets.” ”

“ Wilson and the naturalist were tired, the youths were not. They insisted on taking a look at Pittsburgh, which they had not seen for many months. An hour or two of looking around and they would return to the hotel, remarked Bob.
During that time the young men found much to hold their interest. The great fiery blast furnaces, the towering skyscrapers, the crowds of pleasure seekers, and the lights of river boats all kept them gay with amusement. ”

“ Mr. Holton seemed to understand everything. “That’s all you did, huh? Well, you did enough to excite their anger. Those natives are decidedly against having their pictures taken. They believe that any evil which might befall their pictures will come upon them later.”
“So that was it?” Bob laughed. “Well, we’ll know enough not to try the same thing again. Anyway, we got several feet of film exposed, and that’s better than nothing.”
The adventurers made their way down the hill, to be met by Karl and the others of the expedition, who had come to learn of their friends’ misfortune. ”

“ But a few minutes later Bob had become as serious as his friend. Hail as large as marbles was [Pg 192] falling with a terrible velocity, striking the explorers’ faces dangerously. One lump caught Joe squarely on the nose, causing him to utter a cry of pain.
“This is awful!” he moaned, holding his hand in front of his eyes.
How long the storm would last they had not the faintest idea. Even Dr. Rander could express no opinion.
Doggedly they fought off the hail, which bruised and cut their faces and bodies. They wondered how the mules were standing it. ”

“ With a parting word for the driver, the youths left the automobile and ran down the track, straining their ears for a repetition of the cry.
“There it is again!” declared Joe. “Sounds like a young boy. In that third freight car up there.”
Summoning all their strength, the youths ran on until they were opposite the box car. It was easy to keep abreast with the train, moving as slowly as it was. ”

“ This easy conversation was made possible by the heavy insulation between the pilot’s and passengers’ quarters. As a result, the roar of the engine was silenced to a remarkable degree.
When just above the airdrome, they heard Karl’s voice through the telephone.
“How does it feel?” the aviator asked. “Think you’d like flying?”
“Sure,” came from Joe, speaking through the transmitter. “It’s a hundred per cent better than land traveling.”
The experience was not novel to Mr. Wallace, who had once crossed the continent in a huge tri-motor monoplane. ”

“ Bob and Joe looked puzzled.
“I don’t understand,” said the latter, hesitating. “Do you mean that some of us will slide down this slope and some stay with the mules—leave them here, I mean?”
“Oh, no,” smiled Dr. Rander. “One of us will have to take the mules down the trail. We could all go that way, but as it is very long, this offers a short cut that you fellows can take. That is, if you want to. When you get to the bottom you can wait until I get down the trail with the pack animals.” ”

“ Dr. Rander told him. “Rather a poisonous insect—they are common in the Andes.”
The old explorer bathed the foot in water from a canteen and treated it with antiseptics, wrapping it up firmly.
“Now until that heals some you’ll have to ride your mount,” Dr. Rander said. “Don’t take no from him for an answer. Get on him and make him carry you forward.”
While Joe and the old man held the mule securely, Bob mounted and with drawn reins held the animal at a standstill.
“Hurrah!” yelled Joe. “You’ve made him give in.” ”

“ Mr. Holton told them. “If you do this well, the company will almost eat you up in their praise of you.”
“The Inca empire is still sort of a mystery to me,” said Joe. “I’ve read quite a bit about it, and Mr. Wallace and Bob and I saw that movie in Chicago, but it’s still all not quite clear. I know how the country around there looks. It is the empire itself that I don’t know much about.”
“Not being an archæologist, I don’t know a great deal about it,” Mr. Holton said. “Perhaps not much, if any, more than you fellows. ”

“ Along toward noon Bob was lucky in bringing down a wild duck, which flew from a jungle not far away. Roasted over a fire, it proved good eating, despite the fact that it was tough.
Dinner—for that was what the youths called the noon meal when they were on exploration trips—over, they took it easy in the shade of a group of stunted trees, which grew almost straight out from the mountainside.
“Trail’s pretty bad,” observed Joe, his eyes on what could be seen of the narrow path as it circled up the peak. “But I suppose it’s nothing to what we’ll find it later on.” ”

“ While the youths and the naturalists made camp, Karl Sutman applied a heavy coat of liquid solder over the cut in the gasoline tank.
“I guess we’re in a mess,” the aviator said disgustedly. “We’ve used up all the gasoline in the spare tank, and now we haven’t enough to take us twenty-five miles. We could have flown to Bogotá easily if it hadn’t been for that leak.”
“Bet there isn’t a gasoline station within fifty miles of here,” groaned Joe, glancing at the rugged country that was on all sides of them.
Darkness overtook the explorers before they had completed making camp. ”

“ Where does this train go?” he asked the boy.
“Chicago,” was the response. “That’s where this car is headed for. I made sure before I got in it.”
Bob grunted.
“We’re booked for a ride, I guess,” he said. “Still there may be a chance of getting off at some town not far from here.”
“That’s what we’ll hope for,” the other youth said, nodding. He turned to the lad. “Can you find your way home after you reach Chicago?”
“Sure. This ain’t the first time I’ve run away. Gettin’ back ain’t what worries me.”
“What does?” inquired Joe.
“My old man. He’ll be mad enough to bite nails. ”

“ The explorers’ hearts were beating like trip hammers; their faces were red with excitement.
“Thank God that we escaped in time!” breathed Dr. Rander. “A few seconds more and we would have been caught beneath tons of rock!”
“And what a death!” muttered Joe with a shudder. “I don’t want to even think of it.”
They sat down on the ground to relieve themselves of the terrible strain. Especially did the old [Pg 216] man show signs of exertion. At first the youths half expected to see him fall with heart failure, for he was terribly exhausted. ”

“ The scientists’ delight far exceeded the boys’ expectations. They literally mauled the youths in their intense enthusiasm.
When the chums, Mr. Wallace, and Karl climbed into the cabin, the scientists gave them a royal send-off, wishing them a safe journey.
[Pg 244]
And safe it proved to be. Karl’s ability as a pilot was greatly appreciated as they flew toward the United States, which they reached without incident.
“Now to get home,” said Bob, as he and Joe and Mr. Wallace hailed a taxi. The naturalist intended to spend another day or so with the boys before boarding a train to Chicago. ”