第56章 CHAPTER XXVII. PENETRATING GRIM SECRETS.(1)

Bruno caught an imperfect view of moving figures at no great distance ahead, but ere he could fairly decide just what they might be, his red-skinned guide swiftly whispered:

"More come look. You don't say. Ixtli fool 'em--easy!"Making not the slightest attempt to avoid the issue, the young Aztec stepped a little in advance of Gillespie, thus casting him into partial eclipse, speaking briskly, as he met the two Indians, only one of whom bore a light:

"It is trouble for nothing, brothers. There is no sign here. If he saw aught, 'twas in a dream, I think. And now--hark!"Even there in the subterranean recesses something of the wildly excited uproar which followed Waldo's rash attempt to go a-fishing after his fellow men, and the sighting of that awful air-demon by the Indians, could be heard, and, without divining its actual import, Ixtli adroitly turned it to his own advantage.

"They have found the strange dog without!" he cried, sharply.

"Come, my brothers, else we will be too late for--hasten, all!"But only one-half of the present group obeyed, the two Indians dashing at full speed towards the main entrance to the city of the dead, leaving Bruno behind, wholly unsuspected, and Ixtli chuckling gleefully over the favourable change in the situation.

"Dey go--we come. Dis way, brother," the Aztec spoke, moving in the opposite direction, followed willingly enough by the now pretty well bewildered paleface.

"Whither are we going?" Bruno felt impelled to ask, after a few moments more of blind obedience. "How are we going to get out?

And my friends,--they must have been alarmed by that great drum!"Ixtli made response by touch rather than in words, and, giving his companion barely time sufficient to read aright that look of warning, he extinguished the light, leaving themselves in complete darkness.

Naturally anticipating fresh danger, Bruno strained his ears to catch at least an inkling of its precise nature ere the trouble could fairly close in; but only silence surrounded them,--silence, and an almost palpable gloom.

"Not cat," assured Ixtli, in a soft-toned whisper, as he divined the expectations entertained by his comrade in peril. "Nobody come, now. All gone see what noise 'bout, yonder. You, me, all right. Best mek no big talk, dough. Come--see!"Apparently the young Aztec found it no easy matter to elect words which should fairly convey his desired meaning, and, abruptly giving over the effort, he moved on, one hand lightly closed upon Bruno's wrist to guard against possible separation in that utter darkness.

Nothing further was said until Ixtli again came to a halt, Gillespie giving a low exclamation as he felt what appeared to be a blank wall before them. Was this no thoroughfare? Were they blocked in, to perish of starvation, unless earlier discovered by the red-skinned searchers?

Far from agreeable thoughts, yet such swiftly flashed across the young man's brain, lending an echo of harshness to his voice as he spoke.

"Where are we now, Ixtli? How are we going to get out of this?

If you have led me into a trap--"

Finger-tips lightly brushed his lips, then the Aztec explained as well he was able, thanks to his limited vocabulary.

Escape from the catacomb by the same route they had taken in seeking refuge there was entirely out of the question. Even though the redskins might have abandoned the search in that precise quarter for the time being, thanks to the sudden alarm which had broken forth in the valley, almost certainly there would be an armed guard so stationed as to intercept any or all persons who might so attempt to emerge.

This much Bruno gathered, then took his turn at the verbal oars.

"But we can't stay here, man, dear. Nothing to eat or to drink, and my friends worrying over us, outside. We've got to get out;I have, at any rate. The only question is, just how, and where?""Dere one way go," Ixtli made reply, even his lowered tones betraying more than ordinary impressiveness, Bruno fancied.

"Mebbe easy, mebbe hard. Find dat, when try. We go dis way.

Best be still, dough!"

Bruno was ready enough to promise all that, just so action was being taken, his uneasiness being by far too deep for rest or repose. More on account of his uncle and his brother, though, than for his own safety. He had not yet lost hope of extrication from the perils which surely surrounded them, not quite abandoned hope of rescuing the Children of the Sun as well.

Turning abruptly to the left, Ixtli led the way into what appeared (through the senses of touch and hearing) to be a narrow, winding tunnel, which presently took an upward incline, then broadened into a chamber of greater or lesser dimensions;the faint echoes told Gillespie there was an enlargement of some deion, but the utter darkness veiled all else.

Barely had the two adventurous youths come to a pause, than dull, uncertain sounds came from almost directly above their heads;and, after listening for a brief space, Ixtli disappointedly breathed a fear that they would have to wait for the time being.