Chapter Forty.

Chapter Forty.The Flood Subsides.As all stepped back from the crackling and blazing pile, the smoke rose, rolling up in wreaths, and the fire illumined the whole place, displaying a perfect crowd of grotesquely horrible figures in all manner of menacing attitudes.To add to the weird horror of the scene, high above and mingling with the smoke clouds were scores of great bats, fully three feet across in the stretch of their leathern wings, with which they silently flapped through the gloom till they succeeded in reaching one or other of the windows through which the smoke poured, and thence the outer air.“Horrible!” cried the captain.“It is weird in the extreme,” said Sir Humphrey; “but it is interesting.”The men who had been hacking away the vines stood in a group, silent and awe-stricken, gazing at the grotesque figures and the flickering shadows they cast as the fire rose and fell and lit up the strange interior to the farthest corner.“Well, Brace,” said Briscoe, “I don’t call this pretty; but I’d have taken twice as much trouble to get here so as to see it. Throw on some more of this dead stuff, lads. There’s a good draught comes in and carries the heat upwards, and it will make a clearance of all these birds’ nests and rubbish.”“It is horrible,” said Brace, as the men hurried to obey the order given, and the flames leaped up and up, revealing the many figures from fresh points of view in the golden ruddy glare. “But I feel like you, Briscoe; I shouldn’t have liked to miss this.”“These are the old bogies with which the priests who lived in the cells upstairs used to scare the people and keep them under. I wonder whether they ever thought to light up the place.”“No doubt they did,” said Sir Humphrey, who had now joined them. “That square erection at the back there, surrounded by small figures, must have been the altar, and no doubt they burned a fire upon that.”“Think so, sir,” said the captain. “Well, I didn’t think we were coming up to see a sight like this. Old Dellow will be a bit mad at missing it, eh, Lynton?”“But he shan’t miss it,” said Briscoe. “We must light it up again. Say, Brace, I can’t see any sign of holes. The floor’s covered with rubbish and stony dust, but it seems to me that we can walk right back among those two rows of images to the altar. I want to see what those things are round about it.”“Well, let’s take hold of hands and try,” replied Brace. “We can try every step before us with the butts of our guns.”“Be careful,” cried Sir Humphrey.“Yes; we’ll mind,” said Brace. “Let the men throw on more dead dry stuff; Lynton; and only a little at a time so as to keep up a good light.”“All right, sir,” was the response, and more flame and light and less smoke was the result, while more light came in from the windows above, for as the hot acrid smoke poured out the leafage writhed and crinkled up, taking up half the space it had occupied before.There was nothing to hinder the advance, as Brace and Briscoe carefully felt their way between the two rows of menacing figures, till they reached the square elevation, a good ten feet high, and then found that they could ascend a flight of steps thick with powdered stone.At the broad landing at the top the altar was about waist-high, and now for the first time they made out that at the back there was a big sitting figure, whose breast seemed to be covered with a kind of rayed shield; but everything was indistinct in the flickering light, and the figure was absolutely clothed in dust.Just then Briscoe stretched out his left hand and laid it upon one of the objects which stood in a row on either side of the altar.The next moment he began to breathe hard as if he were about to have a fit.“What’s the matter?” said Brace anxiously; “overcome by the heat and smoke?”“No, no,” whispered Briscoe hoarsely. “Touch that thing nearest to you.”Brace did as was suggested, and found that it was heavy, but that he could move it.“Why, it isn’t stone,” he said, “but metal. It must be some kind of ornament.”“Yes,” said Briscoe, in a hoarse whisper, “and that kitchen place we went in first was a foundry; that next place where you spoke of a rubbish heap was all ore. I picked up a bit, as you know, and it’s rich. Brace, my lad, we’ve found the Spaniards’ El Dorado, and these ornaments we have just touched are solid gold.”“Impossible!” said Brace, in an awe-stricken whisper.“’Tisn’t, lad. Look now the light’s stronger. That squatting figure with the thing like a rayed shield over his breast isn’t only stone, for I’d bet my last dollar that the shield’s a golden sun.”“Well?” cried the captain; “found anything?”“Oh, yes,” said Brace, trying to speak calmly; “this is an altar, sure enough.”“Well, I’d give it up for to-day. Come out, Brace,” cried Sir Humphrey, “and we’ll examine the place carefully to-morrow when the fire has burned out and the air is breathable. I think we shall be able to take back something curious for our pains.”“Not a doubt about it,” said Briscoe cheerily. “Yes; we’ve had enough of it for to-day, and I want something to take the smoke and dust out of my throat. Come along, Brace. Hist,” he whispered: “not a word till we get them away from the men.”“I understand,” said Brace.A few minutes afterwards the whole party were out on the terrace, shouting down explanations to Dellow and the men, who on seeing the smoke rising had taken to the small boat and rowed to the foot of the great wall.“Found anything worth getting?” shouted the mate.“Well, yes: I suppose so,” cried the captain. “It’s a big temple full of stone idols. We shall have to take a boat-load back for the British Museum.”“Bah!” said Dellow. “Are you coming back now? Dan’s got a splendid dinner of fish and bird roasted and I don’t know how you are; we’re starving here.”“We shall be with you in no time now,” said the captain. “Forward, my lads, and let’s get back.”The men started, Sir Humphrey and the captain followed, and Brace and Briscoe came last.“Yes, that’s gold, sure enough,” said Brace, looking furtively at the piece of ore thrust into his hand. “But, Briscoe?”“Well?”“Suppose the Indians know of all these golden ornaments and things being here?”“I don’t suppose they do; but if they do, what then?”“Suppose they came now in force and beat us off?”“Ah, it would be awkward if they came now; but if they did there’d be a very ugly fight before we gave up our hold on what we’ve found.”“Yes; we couldn’t give it up now.”“I say, what about the men?” said Briscoe.“They must know, of course, and take their share of what we carry away.”“Oh!” groaned Briscoe, “and after finding what has been the dream of my life.”“What do you mean!” said Brace wonderingly.“Why, we’ve only got those two boats and can’t take much. Brace, my lad, do you think it would be possible to bring the brig up here?”“Yes, perhaps we might if you could knock down those falls, and do away with all the shallow parts between here and there.”“Of course,” said Briscoe, with another groan full of misery. “I forgot all that.”“I say,” said Dellow, as they came within sight from the lower terrace once more, “something’s happened while you’ve been away.”“What is it?” said the captain.“Tide’s turned, and the water’s flowing steadily the other way.”“That means the flood’s gone down then,” said the captain. “Well, then, gentlemen, when you’ve got your images on board I suppose you’d like to be going back, for the stores are running very low.”

As all stepped back from the crackling and blazing pile, the smoke rose, rolling up in wreaths, and the fire illumined the whole place, displaying a perfect crowd of grotesquely horrible figures in all manner of menacing attitudes.

To add to the weird horror of the scene, high above and mingling with the smoke clouds were scores of great bats, fully three feet across in the stretch of their leathern wings, with which they silently flapped through the gloom till they succeeded in reaching one or other of the windows through which the smoke poured, and thence the outer air.

“Horrible!” cried the captain.

“It is weird in the extreme,” said Sir Humphrey; “but it is interesting.”

The men who had been hacking away the vines stood in a group, silent and awe-stricken, gazing at the grotesque figures and the flickering shadows they cast as the fire rose and fell and lit up the strange interior to the farthest corner.

“Well, Brace,” said Briscoe, “I don’t call this pretty; but I’d have taken twice as much trouble to get here so as to see it. Throw on some more of this dead stuff, lads. There’s a good draught comes in and carries the heat upwards, and it will make a clearance of all these birds’ nests and rubbish.”

“It is horrible,” said Brace, as the men hurried to obey the order given, and the flames leaped up and up, revealing the many figures from fresh points of view in the golden ruddy glare. “But I feel like you, Briscoe; I shouldn’t have liked to miss this.”

“These are the old bogies with which the priests who lived in the cells upstairs used to scare the people and keep them under. I wonder whether they ever thought to light up the place.”

“No doubt they did,” said Sir Humphrey, who had now joined them. “That square erection at the back there, surrounded by small figures, must have been the altar, and no doubt they burned a fire upon that.”

“Think so, sir,” said the captain. “Well, I didn’t think we were coming up to see a sight like this. Old Dellow will be a bit mad at missing it, eh, Lynton?”

“But he shan’t miss it,” said Briscoe. “We must light it up again. Say, Brace, I can’t see any sign of holes. The floor’s covered with rubbish and stony dust, but it seems to me that we can walk right back among those two rows of images to the altar. I want to see what those things are round about it.”

“Well, let’s take hold of hands and try,” replied Brace. “We can try every step before us with the butts of our guns.”

“Be careful,” cried Sir Humphrey.

“Yes; we’ll mind,” said Brace. “Let the men throw on more dead dry stuff; Lynton; and only a little at a time so as to keep up a good light.”

“All right, sir,” was the response, and more flame and light and less smoke was the result, while more light came in from the windows above, for as the hot acrid smoke poured out the leafage writhed and crinkled up, taking up half the space it had occupied before.

There was nothing to hinder the advance, as Brace and Briscoe carefully felt their way between the two rows of menacing figures, till they reached the square elevation, a good ten feet high, and then found that they could ascend a flight of steps thick with powdered stone.

At the broad landing at the top the altar was about waist-high, and now for the first time they made out that at the back there was a big sitting figure, whose breast seemed to be covered with a kind of rayed shield; but everything was indistinct in the flickering light, and the figure was absolutely clothed in dust.

Just then Briscoe stretched out his left hand and laid it upon one of the objects which stood in a row on either side of the altar.

The next moment he began to breathe hard as if he were about to have a fit.

“What’s the matter?” said Brace anxiously; “overcome by the heat and smoke?”

“No, no,” whispered Briscoe hoarsely. “Touch that thing nearest to you.”

Brace did as was suggested, and found that it was heavy, but that he could move it.

“Why, it isn’t stone,” he said, “but metal. It must be some kind of ornament.”

“Yes,” said Briscoe, in a hoarse whisper, “and that kitchen place we went in first was a foundry; that next place where you spoke of a rubbish heap was all ore. I picked up a bit, as you know, and it’s rich. Brace, my lad, we’ve found the Spaniards’ El Dorado, and these ornaments we have just touched are solid gold.”

“Impossible!” said Brace, in an awe-stricken whisper.

“’Tisn’t, lad. Look now the light’s stronger. That squatting figure with the thing like a rayed shield over his breast isn’t only stone, for I’d bet my last dollar that the shield’s a golden sun.”

“Well?” cried the captain; “found anything?”

“Oh, yes,” said Brace, trying to speak calmly; “this is an altar, sure enough.”

“Well, I’d give it up for to-day. Come out, Brace,” cried Sir Humphrey, “and we’ll examine the place carefully to-morrow when the fire has burned out and the air is breathable. I think we shall be able to take back something curious for our pains.”

“Not a doubt about it,” said Briscoe cheerily. “Yes; we’ve had enough of it for to-day, and I want something to take the smoke and dust out of my throat. Come along, Brace. Hist,” he whispered: “not a word till we get them away from the men.”

“I understand,” said Brace.

A few minutes afterwards the whole party were out on the terrace, shouting down explanations to Dellow and the men, who on seeing the smoke rising had taken to the small boat and rowed to the foot of the great wall.

“Found anything worth getting?” shouted the mate.

“Well, yes: I suppose so,” cried the captain. “It’s a big temple full of stone idols. We shall have to take a boat-load back for the British Museum.”

“Bah!” said Dellow. “Are you coming back now? Dan’s got a splendid dinner of fish and bird roasted and I don’t know how you are; we’re starving here.”

“We shall be with you in no time now,” said the captain. “Forward, my lads, and let’s get back.”

The men started, Sir Humphrey and the captain followed, and Brace and Briscoe came last.

“Yes, that’s gold, sure enough,” said Brace, looking furtively at the piece of ore thrust into his hand. “But, Briscoe?”

“Well?”

“Suppose the Indians know of all these golden ornaments and things being here?”

“I don’t suppose they do; but if they do, what then?”

“Suppose they came now in force and beat us off?”

“Ah, it would be awkward if they came now; but if they did there’d be a very ugly fight before we gave up our hold on what we’ve found.”

“Yes; we couldn’t give it up now.”

“I say, what about the men?” said Briscoe.

“They must know, of course, and take their share of what we carry away.”

“Oh!” groaned Briscoe, “and after finding what has been the dream of my life.”

“What do you mean!” said Brace wonderingly.

“Why, we’ve only got those two boats and can’t take much. Brace, my lad, do you think it would be possible to bring the brig up here?”

“Yes, perhaps we might if you could knock down those falls, and do away with all the shallow parts between here and there.”

“Of course,” said Briscoe, with another groan full of misery. “I forgot all that.”

“I say,” said Dellow, as they came within sight from the lower terrace once more, “something’s happened while you’ve been away.”

“What is it?” said the captain.

“Tide’s turned, and the water’s flowing steadily the other way.”

“That means the flood’s gone down then,” said the captain. “Well, then, gentlemen, when you’ve got your images on board I suppose you’d like to be going back, for the stores are running very low.”

Chapter Forty One.The Slippery Treasure.“Don’t know that I am pleased,” said Sir Humphrey, when his brother and Briscoe told him of the discovery; “but it is very wonderful, and I suppose we may claim the right to all we have found.”“Certainly,” said Briscoe.“Well, the first thing to be done is to acquaint the captain, Dellow, and Lynton.”“Of course,” said Briscoe, “and the men must know.”“Does it not mean trouble?” said Brace. “I mean with the crew.”“No,” replied Briscoe; “the skipper has them all well in hand now, and they must be given to understand that every man will take a share of the gold, according to his position. I vote we tell the skipper and mates at once.”Ten minutes later they were fully acquainted with the facts, and the captain screwed his face up tightly.“Hah!” he said; “I never aimed at being rich, but I’m not going to quarrel with my luck.”“No,” said Briscoe, “and I think we ought to take as much of it as we can carry with us.”“Well, gentlemen, it’s a big find, and I suppose it means half a dozen journeys here to fetch it all to the brig.”“We cannot say yet,” said Sir Humphrey; “but we ought to get all we can down to the brig at once.”“Yes,” said Briscoe, “and leave Mr Brace and me here with a couple of men to guard the rest.”“No,” said Sir Humphrey firmly; “we must keep together. I say: let’s load the boats as far as is wise and get as much of the treasure as possible safely to the brig.”“And lose all there is left,” said Briscoe.“No,” replied Brace. “This gold must have kept here in safety for at least a thousand years, so I daresay it will rest till we get back again.”“Look here, gentlemen,” said the captain; “both these plans sound well, but we can settle which we’ll try afterwards. I don’t feel that we’ve got the treasure till the two boats have their loads packed in the bottoms like ballast, well covered with leaves. Let’s get as much as we can, and then perhaps it might be well for part of us to stop while the others take down the first part.”“The captain is right,” said Sir Humphrey: “we’ll settle that afterwards: perhaps there is no more than we can take in one journey.”This was put to the proof the next morning, when the men, having cheered till they were hoarse at the wondrous news, the party divided: one portion to make their way to the temple, the other to moor the two boats conveniently under the wall below, the captain and Dellow taking the latter duty, with a couple of men to stow, while as soon as Brace, Briscoe, Lynton, and the rest of the men appeared on the lower terrace communication was made with a block pulley and ropes ready for lowering the treasure, a couple of stout biscuit bags being taken from the stores for sending up and down.Brace led the way into the temple, his heart throbbing with eagerness; and, lights having been set up in convenient spots, the threatening aspect of the inanimate guardians of the treasure was soon forgotten, and all set to work to sweep the dust from the ornaments upon the altar, and then to carry them out into the broad sunshine ready for lowering down.A feeling of astonishment attacked Brace as he worked hard, and hardly a word was spoken, everyone busying himself and toiling as if there was not a moment to spare, and a whisper might bring someone to stop them from carrying the treasure away.It was wonderful indeed, for after the thick coating of dust had been shaken off they found that they were handling roughly-formed lamps, figures of gods with benevolent features, those of savage and malignant-looking demons—in fact, what seemed to be the whole pantheon of the idols who might be supposed to preside over the good qualities and evil thoughts of mankind.Most of them had been roughly cast in moulds and left untouched; but others had been hammered and chiselled with an archaic idea of art that was surprising.Then there were ornaments which obviously suggested leaves and twining vines, with rayed flowers sufficiently well executed to show that they had been copied from such as the finders had seen growing on the ledges of the cañon.But unmistakeably all were of rich solid pale gold, bronzed and ruddy in places with the action of fire, and, setting aside their value as antique works of art, representing a cash value as gold that was almost startling.Every now and then a figure was attacked and left standing on account of its weight and the party of toilers busy in the weird gloom of the temple paused at last as if half-stunned by the feeling that had come upon them after two men had tried to lift the seated figure of some deity.“Yes, we can’t take that,” said Briscoe dismally. “We could carry it out, I daresay, but it would go through the bottom of the boat. We shall have to start that old furnace and melt these big things down.”Just then two of the men who been carrying a load out on to the terrace came back, bearing a message from the captain.“He says, gentlemen,” said one of the men, “that it will be as much as he dare take aboard when we’ve let down all we’ve got waiting outside.”“Nonsense!” cried Brace; “why, we have ever so much more to send out yet. We can’t leave all these small things.”“How much weight do you think you have taken out, my lads?” said Sir Humphrey, who was working hard with the rest.“’Bout half a ton, sir, I should say,” replied one of the men.“Let’s go out and have a talk to the skipper,” said Briscoe. “I say, chaps,” he added jocosely, “fair play and fair sharing; no pocketing either of those big images while we’re gone.”“All right, sir,” said one of the men: “we won’t; but to speak square and honest, I was longing to collar that biggest one at the back there, him with the sign of the sun on his front.”“We must fetch them another time,” said Briscoe; and he followed the brothers out on to the terrace, where, dully gleaming in the sunshine, quite a couple of hundredweight of the strange objects connected with the ancient worship lay waiting to be lowered down.“Well, captain,” said Sir Humphrey, “what does this mean—you can’t take any more?”“I’m going to risk what you’ve got out already, sir,” was the reply. “According to the men there’s about three hundredweight to lower yet.”“At a rough guess, yes,” said Brace.“That’s the very outside then, and we shall have to beat and hammer a lot of these together with the axeheads to make them take up less room. Look for yourselves.”A long and earnest look was directed below, where the boats were packed beneath the thwarts and fore and aft with the treasure, and presented a strange aspect.“Yes, he’s quite right,” said Briscoe, with a sigh. “Oh, if we only had one of those coal-barges that I’ve seen lying at anchor in your Thames.”“Let’s be content, Briscoe, and get these figures aboard. We must not run risks and lose all.”“That’s wisdom, Sir Humphrey, and I’ve no more to say. Keep on lowering down, my lads, while we go back. Oh, dear, I wish we hadn’t burned all that green stuff that hid the door.”“It will soon shoot out and grow again,” said Brace; “but we must come back for another load.”They went back into the temple to take a look round, lanthorn in hand, and then had literally to drag themselves away from the sight of the vast treasure they were compelled to leave behind.“It’s of no use,” said Brace. “Come along. The more we look the more unwilling we shall be to leave.”“I feel as if I can’t leave it. I must stop and take care of the rest, even if I stay alone,” said Briscoe.“No,” said Brace; “that would be folly. It will be safe enough till we return.”“But look here: suppose we build a raft, and load that? We could tow it down with the boats.”“Yes,” said Brace, “and end by upsetting it and sending all to the bottom.”“Look here,” said Sir Humphrey: “I am going to set you both a good example.”He hurried out into the light, while after another glance round Briscoe said slowly:“Yes, a raft would end by shooting it all off into the river. Let’s make sure of what we’ve got.”And, rushing out, he set steadily to work helping to get the objects still waiting down to the boat, and then he was the first to lead the way and mount from terrace to terrace to the slope and by the way to the great tank, where the water was making a strange reverberating sound.“That noise is enough to keep the Indians away,” he said to Brace, as he paused with him till all the men had passed. “It’s as good as a safe.”When all were down, the L-shaped entrance was carefully blocked with stones and covered with rubbish, earth, and growing plants, so that there was no sign of the place having been disturbed, and by that time the boats were back at their moorings, with the captain shaking his head at them.“More than we ought to take,” he said; “but we’ll risk it, and hope for fine weather. Now, gentlemen, as we’ve made our fortunes, let’s have the good dinner Dan has got ready for us, and then I say: all traps aboard and down stream for the brig.”“Ready to come up again for another load,” said Briscoe.“Well,” said the captain slowly, “if we can.”The dinner was eaten, and various cooking-articles were replaced in the boat.“Now then,” said the captain; “all aboard!”“Three cheers first, lads,” cried one of the men; “for we shall have our gold now without washing for it.”They gave three hearty cheers, and as the last was echoing from the opposite side of the cañon every man stood as if petrified, for it was answered by a savage yell which seemed to come from a couple of thousand throats; and as there was a rush to where, from the water steps, they could gaze up stream it was to see quite a fleet of small canoes, each of which held four or five Indians, bearing steadily down for where the boats were moored.

“Don’t know that I am pleased,” said Sir Humphrey, when his brother and Briscoe told him of the discovery; “but it is very wonderful, and I suppose we may claim the right to all we have found.”

“Certainly,” said Briscoe.

“Well, the first thing to be done is to acquaint the captain, Dellow, and Lynton.”

“Of course,” said Briscoe, “and the men must know.”

“Does it not mean trouble?” said Brace. “I mean with the crew.”

“No,” replied Briscoe; “the skipper has them all well in hand now, and they must be given to understand that every man will take a share of the gold, according to his position. I vote we tell the skipper and mates at once.”

Ten minutes later they were fully acquainted with the facts, and the captain screwed his face up tightly.

“Hah!” he said; “I never aimed at being rich, but I’m not going to quarrel with my luck.”

“No,” said Briscoe, “and I think we ought to take as much of it as we can carry with us.”

“Well, gentlemen, it’s a big find, and I suppose it means half a dozen journeys here to fetch it all to the brig.”

“We cannot say yet,” said Sir Humphrey; “but we ought to get all we can down to the brig at once.”

“Yes,” said Briscoe, “and leave Mr Brace and me here with a couple of men to guard the rest.”

“No,” said Sir Humphrey firmly; “we must keep together. I say: let’s load the boats as far as is wise and get as much of the treasure as possible safely to the brig.”

“And lose all there is left,” said Briscoe.

“No,” replied Brace. “This gold must have kept here in safety for at least a thousand years, so I daresay it will rest till we get back again.”

“Look here, gentlemen,” said the captain; “both these plans sound well, but we can settle which we’ll try afterwards. I don’t feel that we’ve got the treasure till the two boats have their loads packed in the bottoms like ballast, well covered with leaves. Let’s get as much as we can, and then perhaps it might be well for part of us to stop while the others take down the first part.”

“The captain is right,” said Sir Humphrey: “we’ll settle that afterwards: perhaps there is no more than we can take in one journey.”

This was put to the proof the next morning, when the men, having cheered till they were hoarse at the wondrous news, the party divided: one portion to make their way to the temple, the other to moor the two boats conveniently under the wall below, the captain and Dellow taking the latter duty, with a couple of men to stow, while as soon as Brace, Briscoe, Lynton, and the rest of the men appeared on the lower terrace communication was made with a block pulley and ropes ready for lowering the treasure, a couple of stout biscuit bags being taken from the stores for sending up and down.

Brace led the way into the temple, his heart throbbing with eagerness; and, lights having been set up in convenient spots, the threatening aspect of the inanimate guardians of the treasure was soon forgotten, and all set to work to sweep the dust from the ornaments upon the altar, and then to carry them out into the broad sunshine ready for lowering down.

A feeling of astonishment attacked Brace as he worked hard, and hardly a word was spoken, everyone busying himself and toiling as if there was not a moment to spare, and a whisper might bring someone to stop them from carrying the treasure away.

It was wonderful indeed, for after the thick coating of dust had been shaken off they found that they were handling roughly-formed lamps, figures of gods with benevolent features, those of savage and malignant-looking demons—in fact, what seemed to be the whole pantheon of the idols who might be supposed to preside over the good qualities and evil thoughts of mankind.

Most of them had been roughly cast in moulds and left untouched; but others had been hammered and chiselled with an archaic idea of art that was surprising.

Then there were ornaments which obviously suggested leaves and twining vines, with rayed flowers sufficiently well executed to show that they had been copied from such as the finders had seen growing on the ledges of the cañon.

But unmistakeably all were of rich solid pale gold, bronzed and ruddy in places with the action of fire, and, setting aside their value as antique works of art, representing a cash value as gold that was almost startling.

Every now and then a figure was attacked and left standing on account of its weight and the party of toilers busy in the weird gloom of the temple paused at last as if half-stunned by the feeling that had come upon them after two men had tried to lift the seated figure of some deity.

“Yes, we can’t take that,” said Briscoe dismally. “We could carry it out, I daresay, but it would go through the bottom of the boat. We shall have to start that old furnace and melt these big things down.”

Just then two of the men who been carrying a load out on to the terrace came back, bearing a message from the captain.

“He says, gentlemen,” said one of the men, “that it will be as much as he dare take aboard when we’ve let down all we’ve got waiting outside.”

“Nonsense!” cried Brace; “why, we have ever so much more to send out yet. We can’t leave all these small things.”

“How much weight do you think you have taken out, my lads?” said Sir Humphrey, who was working hard with the rest.

“’Bout half a ton, sir, I should say,” replied one of the men.

“Let’s go out and have a talk to the skipper,” said Briscoe. “I say, chaps,” he added jocosely, “fair play and fair sharing; no pocketing either of those big images while we’re gone.”

“All right, sir,” said one of the men: “we won’t; but to speak square and honest, I was longing to collar that biggest one at the back there, him with the sign of the sun on his front.”

“We must fetch them another time,” said Briscoe; and he followed the brothers out on to the terrace, where, dully gleaming in the sunshine, quite a couple of hundredweight of the strange objects connected with the ancient worship lay waiting to be lowered down.

“Well, captain,” said Sir Humphrey, “what does this mean—you can’t take any more?”

“I’m going to risk what you’ve got out already, sir,” was the reply. “According to the men there’s about three hundredweight to lower yet.”

“At a rough guess, yes,” said Brace.

“That’s the very outside then, and we shall have to beat and hammer a lot of these together with the axeheads to make them take up less room. Look for yourselves.”

A long and earnest look was directed below, where the boats were packed beneath the thwarts and fore and aft with the treasure, and presented a strange aspect.

“Yes, he’s quite right,” said Briscoe, with a sigh. “Oh, if we only had one of those coal-barges that I’ve seen lying at anchor in your Thames.”

“Let’s be content, Briscoe, and get these figures aboard. We must not run risks and lose all.”

“That’s wisdom, Sir Humphrey, and I’ve no more to say. Keep on lowering down, my lads, while we go back. Oh, dear, I wish we hadn’t burned all that green stuff that hid the door.”

“It will soon shoot out and grow again,” said Brace; “but we must come back for another load.”

They went back into the temple to take a look round, lanthorn in hand, and then had literally to drag themselves away from the sight of the vast treasure they were compelled to leave behind.

“It’s of no use,” said Brace. “Come along. The more we look the more unwilling we shall be to leave.”

“I feel as if I can’t leave it. I must stop and take care of the rest, even if I stay alone,” said Briscoe.

“No,” said Brace; “that would be folly. It will be safe enough till we return.”

“But look here: suppose we build a raft, and load that? We could tow it down with the boats.”

“Yes,” said Brace, “and end by upsetting it and sending all to the bottom.”

“Look here,” said Sir Humphrey: “I am going to set you both a good example.”

He hurried out into the light, while after another glance round Briscoe said slowly:

“Yes, a raft would end by shooting it all off into the river. Let’s make sure of what we’ve got.”

And, rushing out, he set steadily to work helping to get the objects still waiting down to the boat, and then he was the first to lead the way and mount from terrace to terrace to the slope and by the way to the great tank, where the water was making a strange reverberating sound.

“That noise is enough to keep the Indians away,” he said to Brace, as he paused with him till all the men had passed. “It’s as good as a safe.”

When all were down, the L-shaped entrance was carefully blocked with stones and covered with rubbish, earth, and growing plants, so that there was no sign of the place having been disturbed, and by that time the boats were back at their moorings, with the captain shaking his head at them.

“More than we ought to take,” he said; “but we’ll risk it, and hope for fine weather. Now, gentlemen, as we’ve made our fortunes, let’s have the good dinner Dan has got ready for us, and then I say: all traps aboard and down stream for the brig.”

“Ready to come up again for another load,” said Briscoe.

“Well,” said the captain slowly, “if we can.”

The dinner was eaten, and various cooking-articles were replaced in the boat.

“Now then,” said the captain; “all aboard!”

“Three cheers first, lads,” cried one of the men; “for we shall have our gold now without washing for it.”

They gave three hearty cheers, and as the last was echoing from the opposite side of the cañon every man stood as if petrified, for it was answered by a savage yell which seemed to come from a couple of thousand throats; and as there was a rush to where, from the water steps, they could gaze up stream it was to see quite a fleet of small canoes, each of which held four or five Indians, bearing steadily down for where the boats were moored.

Chapter Forty Two.Found and Lost.“Now, gentlemen,” said the captain firmly, “what is it to be: turn this into a fort and fight, or into the boats, hoist sail, and go down stream? You see it runs our way now.”“Take to the boats,” said Sir Humphrey decisively, and the captain gave the order.“Slow and steady, my lads,” he said; “they can’t reach us for some time yet, and by then we shall be sailing steadily down.”The canoes seemed to be coming on very fast, but the captain was correct.The sails were hoisted as soon as every man was in his place, and, to the satisfaction of all, the heavily-ballasted boats began to glide down stream before a pleasant breeze with a steadiness that was all that could be desired.But by the time they were well moving the first of the canoes was very near, and their occupants started their savage yelling again and began to paddle with all their might, till, seeing that the boats were leaving them behind, they dropped their paddles and seized their bows, to let fly a shower of arrows.At this the captain gave the word, and a little volley was fired, followed by another.The walls of the great cañon took up the reports and echoed them to and fro till, startled by this novel thunder, the enemy paused in confusion, many of the canoes being paddled back.“Anyone hit?” cried Brace.“No, sir,” came loudly from both boats, and the next minute they glided round the promontory they had passed in coming up, and the rock city disappeared.A few minutes later and the last of the canoes was seen.The wind being favourable and the night following lit up by a full moon, the retreat was kept up so as to get well beyond danger.It was far on into the next day before a halt was made to light a fire and prepare a meal.The flood had passed away, and with wind and stream in their favour, and a total absence of danger, the two boats glided down and down from river to river till after many days the adventurers came within hearing of the falls.They ran the boats safely aground just above where the river made its plunge, and then came a long and toilsome task.But the boats were safely unladen—for the men worked with a will—run ashore, and up and down the two slopes, to be re-launched and all the stores and treasure replaced by dark one night.The next morning at daybreak a start was made for the brig, which was found a mile lower down, where it had been swept by the flood, but was safely re-anchored.In due time the men were cheering loudly again, for the treasure was safe on board.“Now,” said Briscoe, “one day’s rest, and then we’ll start with three boats, skipper, and stouter tackle so as to handle some of those big images better. We ought to take three or four planks.”“Then you want to get some more?” said the captain, smiling.“More?” said Briscoe, staring; “why, man, it would be a sin to leave that treasure wasting there. What do you say, gentlemen?”“Well,” said Sir Humphrey, “I can’t help feeling as you do, Briscoe. What do you say, Brace?”“I don’t want any more gold,” was the reply; “but I should like to get those curiosities to England. It would be such a shame to leave them up there.”“And so say we,” said Dellow and Lynton eagerly.“But what about the men?” said Brace; “would they go?”“Would a dozen ducks swim, sir?” said the captain scornfully. “Ask ’em.”The men were asked, and their answer was a tremendous cheer.“Of course, sir,” one of them cried. “We must clear out the lot.”“Very well,” said the captain. “I shall stay on board here with two men as guards, and you shall start with three boats to-morrow morning.”There was another tremendous cheer at this, and then Dellow threw a wet blanket over all.“I dunno,” he said slowly: “I don’t think it will be to-morrow, for there’s some weather about. Look at that lightning playing away to the west’ard.”The first mate was right, for that night there was a frightful storm to announce the breaking-up of the season.The next day the river was in flood, and in spite of all the captain’s skill the brig was torn from her moorings and borne rapidly down stream.The days passed, and the weather grew worse and worse. Efforts were made to moor or anchor over and over again, but the river rapidly became like one vast lake with the water extending for miles on either side.After terrible vicissitudes the captain at last breathed freely when at the end of some weeks the “Jason” was rising and falling in half a gale well out to sea.“Hah!” he said; “this is something like. I can turn in now for a rest without expecting to be capsized by being swept over a clump of trees. There’s nothing like the sea, after all.”“But what about going up the river again?” asked Briscoe.“It will be in flood for months to come, sir, I should say, and my advice would be for us to get safe home with what we’ve got, and make another trip next year.”The captain’s advice was taken, and to a man the men volunteered to go again the next season.That trip was made, and proved to be quite a blank, for the brig was never got up to the falls.The next year, though, the party started with high hopes, for the weather was magnificent, and they reached the falls; but not without finding that the course of the river had been a good deal altered by two seasons of tremendous floods.But there were the stupendous falls and one morning, leaving the brig snugly anchored in a bay of the river to wait for her golden freight, three boats, with the men well armed, started for their journey up stream.The course of the river below the falls had been greatly altered, but that was as nothing to the complete change in the network of rivers higher up.Let it suffice to say that they rowed and sailed for days which grew into weeks, and then to months, from river into river, and then in and out of what was a great watery puzzle; but the cañon with its golden city might have sunk right out of sight, for in spite of every effort the party were driven back at last when the torrential rains set in.The next year the captain said he had had enough of it, and Brace and his brother declined to go, the latter saying that the proverb was right: “You can buy gold too dearly.”Briscoe then declared that he would freight another brig and go by himself.He went, and, at the end of six months, returned, visited London, and called upon his old companion.“Haven’t found it yet,” he said; “but there’s a lot of gold there, and I mean to try till I do.”Brace met him again and again as the years rolled on, but he had not found the gold.“No,” he said; “there’s something about that puzzle place of rivers that I don’t quite understand. I can’t find it, and the longer I live the more I feel, Brace Leigh, that we ought to have eaten our bread when it was ready buttered, and brought the stuff away upon a raft.”“Why don’t you be content with what you had for your share?”“Oh, I am,” said Briscoe: “just as contented as you are, but I want to find the rest of that treasure all the same. You see, old fellow, I’m this sort: I’m Amurrican, and I don’t like being beat.”

“Now, gentlemen,” said the captain firmly, “what is it to be: turn this into a fort and fight, or into the boats, hoist sail, and go down stream? You see it runs our way now.”

“Take to the boats,” said Sir Humphrey decisively, and the captain gave the order.

“Slow and steady, my lads,” he said; “they can’t reach us for some time yet, and by then we shall be sailing steadily down.”

The canoes seemed to be coming on very fast, but the captain was correct.

The sails were hoisted as soon as every man was in his place, and, to the satisfaction of all, the heavily-ballasted boats began to glide down stream before a pleasant breeze with a steadiness that was all that could be desired.

But by the time they were well moving the first of the canoes was very near, and their occupants started their savage yelling again and began to paddle with all their might, till, seeing that the boats were leaving them behind, they dropped their paddles and seized their bows, to let fly a shower of arrows.

At this the captain gave the word, and a little volley was fired, followed by another.

The walls of the great cañon took up the reports and echoed them to and fro till, startled by this novel thunder, the enemy paused in confusion, many of the canoes being paddled back.

“Anyone hit?” cried Brace.

“No, sir,” came loudly from both boats, and the next minute they glided round the promontory they had passed in coming up, and the rock city disappeared.

A few minutes later and the last of the canoes was seen.

The wind being favourable and the night following lit up by a full moon, the retreat was kept up so as to get well beyond danger.

It was far on into the next day before a halt was made to light a fire and prepare a meal.

The flood had passed away, and with wind and stream in their favour, and a total absence of danger, the two boats glided down and down from river to river till after many days the adventurers came within hearing of the falls.

They ran the boats safely aground just above where the river made its plunge, and then came a long and toilsome task.

But the boats were safely unladen—for the men worked with a will—run ashore, and up and down the two slopes, to be re-launched and all the stores and treasure replaced by dark one night.

The next morning at daybreak a start was made for the brig, which was found a mile lower down, where it had been swept by the flood, but was safely re-anchored.

In due time the men were cheering loudly again, for the treasure was safe on board.

“Now,” said Briscoe, “one day’s rest, and then we’ll start with three boats, skipper, and stouter tackle so as to handle some of those big images better. We ought to take three or four planks.”

“Then you want to get some more?” said the captain, smiling.

“More?” said Briscoe, staring; “why, man, it would be a sin to leave that treasure wasting there. What do you say, gentlemen?”

“Well,” said Sir Humphrey, “I can’t help feeling as you do, Briscoe. What do you say, Brace?”

“I don’t want any more gold,” was the reply; “but I should like to get those curiosities to England. It would be such a shame to leave them up there.”

“And so say we,” said Dellow and Lynton eagerly.

“But what about the men?” said Brace; “would they go?”

“Would a dozen ducks swim, sir?” said the captain scornfully. “Ask ’em.”

The men were asked, and their answer was a tremendous cheer.

“Of course, sir,” one of them cried. “We must clear out the lot.”

“Very well,” said the captain. “I shall stay on board here with two men as guards, and you shall start with three boats to-morrow morning.”

There was another tremendous cheer at this, and then Dellow threw a wet blanket over all.

“I dunno,” he said slowly: “I don’t think it will be to-morrow, for there’s some weather about. Look at that lightning playing away to the west’ard.”

The first mate was right, for that night there was a frightful storm to announce the breaking-up of the season.

The next day the river was in flood, and in spite of all the captain’s skill the brig was torn from her moorings and borne rapidly down stream.

The days passed, and the weather grew worse and worse. Efforts were made to moor or anchor over and over again, but the river rapidly became like one vast lake with the water extending for miles on either side.

After terrible vicissitudes the captain at last breathed freely when at the end of some weeks the “Jason” was rising and falling in half a gale well out to sea.

“Hah!” he said; “this is something like. I can turn in now for a rest without expecting to be capsized by being swept over a clump of trees. There’s nothing like the sea, after all.”

“But what about going up the river again?” asked Briscoe.

“It will be in flood for months to come, sir, I should say, and my advice would be for us to get safe home with what we’ve got, and make another trip next year.”

The captain’s advice was taken, and to a man the men volunteered to go again the next season.

That trip was made, and proved to be quite a blank, for the brig was never got up to the falls.

The next year, though, the party started with high hopes, for the weather was magnificent, and they reached the falls; but not without finding that the course of the river had been a good deal altered by two seasons of tremendous floods.

But there were the stupendous falls and one morning, leaving the brig snugly anchored in a bay of the river to wait for her golden freight, three boats, with the men well armed, started for their journey up stream.

The course of the river below the falls had been greatly altered, but that was as nothing to the complete change in the network of rivers higher up.

Let it suffice to say that they rowed and sailed for days which grew into weeks, and then to months, from river into river, and then in and out of what was a great watery puzzle; but the cañon with its golden city might have sunk right out of sight, for in spite of every effort the party were driven back at last when the torrential rains set in.

The next year the captain said he had had enough of it, and Brace and his brother declined to go, the latter saying that the proverb was right: “You can buy gold too dearly.”

Briscoe then declared that he would freight another brig and go by himself.

He went, and, at the end of six months, returned, visited London, and called upon his old companion.

“Haven’t found it yet,” he said; “but there’s a lot of gold there, and I mean to try till I do.”

Brace met him again and again as the years rolled on, but he had not found the gold.

“No,” he said; “there’s something about that puzzle place of rivers that I don’t quite understand. I can’t find it, and the longer I live the more I feel, Brace Leigh, that we ought to have eaten our bread when it was ready buttered, and brought the stuff away upon a raft.”

“Why don’t you be content with what you had for your share?”

“Oh, I am,” said Briscoe: “just as contented as you are, but I want to find the rest of that treasure all the same. You see, old fellow, I’m this sort: I’m Amurrican, and I don’t like being beat.”

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