The Treasure of the Incas A Story of Adventure in Peru

ound. When he caught a glimpse of the guide's

at when we got within half a mile of the gold river we should find the valley turned into a deep lake. We can only say, 'Better luck next time'. We would say in England, 'There are as good fish in t

e was ever entrusted with more than one secret, so that if the Spa

ght yesterday fizzling on the fire. Now I think of it, I am very hungry, for it is six hours since we h

ling Maria the misfortune which had befallen them,

as a certainty. Anything might have happened between the time the gold was shut up and now, though we certainly never expected to find what we did. We only thought it possible that we might have the luck to find the treasure. Now you had

ng down the hill, she laid them on plates with some freshly-baked cakes. The fish were excellent, and Ber

ouncil shall begin. Never mind clearing away the plates now, Maria; just sit down with us, there is wi

o stay here and ma

ave seen enough of this side of the mountains. We will

town of Ayapata, which lies somewhere at the foot of that peak. I have never been there, but I know its situation. It is a very steep pass, but as it is

isfactory. We will

last we had with us. If we cut the fish open and lay them flat on the rocks, which are so hot one can scarcely hold one's hand

ht an abundance, having fifteen averaging eight pounds apiece

the fish are quite as good as trout of the same size. The only objection is that they are so ta

ong the animals which had just lain dow

ried; "the llamas are standing up with thei

aguars," Dias said. "

d Bertie followed suit, and further

ere the beasts may be. See! the mules are standing up now and pulling at the

the mules, which were s

spoke to them

ee if we can discover the beasts. There is one of them!" he exclaimed, but in a low tone. "

l I f

rge us; let us wait till he gets closer. Probably there are tw

the seeming spa

bably walk round us two or three times

e fire we could get a f

y go backwards and forwards in a semicircle,

assed and the

em. I can see their

ere to fire a gun, the

d come back again. They have smelt the mules, and are probably hungr

later there was

jaguars,"

hreatening sound was

e mules were almos

beasts will come from that side. If we posted ourselves behind them th

e on the grass with their

ered, "not more than fifty yards away.

in the dark, when you can't see the end of your

ack. They crouched low, almost dragging their bellies on

brother take aim. I will take the female, and José will hol

ow when it is g

r. It is sure to sto

ire when I do," Harry whispered to h

elve yards the

their rifles at the same moment, and,

ecovered himself. As he did so two charges of buck-shot struc

stead of waiting, hastily discharged his gun, and in another instant a dark body boun

suddenly round and attempted to spring, but its hindquarters were paralysed; and Bertie, pulling out his pis

thout accident!" Harry said. "T

they can be killed easily enough, se?or;

d we have l

by the shock, but he had his saddle on, a

n and brought a flaming brand from the fire. Blo

sed by the contraction of the claws when you finished her with your pistol. The animal will be all r

not frightened, M

e tumbling down close to me, and I could see the jaguar's

ch good," Dias said, "if t

had come close to me, and I had got nothing but that lit

se?or," she said. "You are a

e lau

and and another gun ready, to say nothing of the pistol

n all about it. If I had thoug

d. "If you had done so, the brute would have mad

rag the jaguars away; the mules will never

hat of his companions to drag ea

e down after that. I shall keep watch to-night, se?or. It is not likely that any more of these beasts are in the neigh

you at two o'clo

atch for the past two nights. I woul

ned it they met two muleteers coming down it. Dias entered into conve

, Dias?" Harry as

to defend themselves against the brigands, have been killed. They were questioned by four armed men as they came down, an

is bad

d be another thing in the passes. There are many places where the mules would have to go in single file, and if we were c

is a scandal that these b

other or their neighbours to care anything ab

of crossing the mount

etween Ayapata and Crucero

hould we be

take us along the other

there is an easy path

and have only to tra

i to C

ouble the length of

liked, from Crucero yo

ertainly good mines i

e any chance of o

, but I fear that the ch

e found, and if there had been rich mines among these mountains you speak of, no doubt they would have hidden them just as ca

it a fire, and they had

s the feeble one of finding treasure in the place you spoke of up the coast above Callao. It is

ata to Crucero, and then to Macari,

r these difficult passes, return by the foot of the mountains as we have come, going through Paucartambo, crossing the rivers that flow north and fall somewhere or other into the Amazon, and keeping along it till we come to Cerro de Pasco. There we should be nearly in a line with this place you know of, and can keep due west-that is to say, as nearly due west as the mountains w

d also escape the troubles that have been going on for some years, and are likely, as far as anyone can see