rs.undertheandes-第33部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　oarsman　barely　drew　from　under　before　it　fell。　It　struck　the　corner　of　the　raft；　which　tipped　perilously。
　That　appeared　to　have　been　a　final　effort；　for　there　the　battle　ended。　The　oarsman　made　quickly　for　the　shore；　paddling　with　remarkable　dexterity　and　swiftness；　while　the　other　stood　braced；　holding　firmly　to　the　spear…thongs。　Another　minute　and　they　had　leaped　upon　the　ledge；　drawing　the　raft　after　them；　and；　by　tugging　together　on　the　lines；　had　landed　their　victim　of　the　deep。
　It　appeared　to　be　a　large　black　fish　of　a　shape　I　had　never　before　seen。　But　it　claimed　little　of　my　attention；　my　eye　was　on　the　two　spears　which　had　been　drawn　from　the　still　quivering　body　and　which　now　lay　on　the　ground　well　away　from　the　water's　edge；　while　the　two　Incas　were　dragging　their　catch　toward　the　mouth　of　the　passage　leading　from　the　cavern。
　I　wanted　those　spears。　I　did　not　stop　to　ask　myself　what　I　intended　to　do　with　them；　if　I　had　I　would　probably　have　been　hard　put　to　it　for　an　answer。　But　I　wanted　them；　and　I　sat　in　my　dark　corner　gazing　at　them　with　greedy　eyes。
　The　Incas　had　disappeared　in　the　passage。
　Finally　I　rose　and　began　to　search　for　an　exit　from　the　recess　in　which　I　had　hidden　myself。　At　first　there　appeared　to　be　none；　but　at　length　I　found　a　small　crevice　between　two　boulders　in　the　rear。　Into　this　I　squeezed　my　body　with　some　difficulty。
　The　rock　pressed　tightly　against　me　on　both　sides；　and　the　sharp　corners　bruised　my　body；　but　I　wormed　my　way　through　for　a　distance　of　fifteen　or　twenty　feet。　Then　the　crevice　opened　abruptly；　and　I　found　myself　on　a　broad　ledge　ending　apparently　in　space。　I　advanced　cautiously　to　its　edge；　but　intervening　boulders　shut　off　the　light；　and　I　could　see　no　ground　below。
　Throwing　prudence　to　the　winds；　I　let　myself　over　the　outermost　corner；　hung　for　a　moment　by　my　hands；　and　dropped。　My　feet　touched　ground　almost　instantly…the　supposedly　perilous　fall　amounted　to　something　like　twelve　inches。
　I　turned　round；　feeling　a　little　foolish；　and　saw　that　from　where　I　stood　the　ledge　and　part　of　the　lake　were　in　full　view。　I　could　see　the　spears　still　lying　where　they　had　been　thrown　down。
　But　as　I　looked　the　two　Incas　emerged　from　the　passage。　They　picked　up　the　spears；　walked　to　the　raft；　and　again　launched　it　and　paddled　toward　the　center　of　the　lake。
　I　thought；　〃Here　is　my　chance；　I　must　make　that　ledge　before　they　return；〃　and　I　started　forward　so　precipitately　that　I　ran　head　on　into　a　massive　boulder　and　got　badly　stunned　for　my　pains。
　Half　dazed；　I　went　on；　groping　my　way　through　the　semidarkness。
　The　trail　was　one　to　try　a　llama。　I　climbed　boulders　and　leaped　across　chasms　and　clung　to　narrow；　slippery　edges　with　my　finger…nails。　Several　times　I　narrowly　escaped　dumping　myself　into　the　lake；　and　half　the　time　I　was　in　plain　view　of　the　Incas　on　the　raft。
　My　hands　and　feet　were　bruised　and　bleeding；　and　I　had　bumped　into　walls　and　boulders　so　often　that　I　was　surprised　when　I　took　a　step　without　getting　a　blow。　I　wanted　those　spears。
　I　found　myself　finally　within　a　few　yards　of　my　destination。
　A　narrow　crevice　led　from　where　I　stood　directly　to　the　ledge　from　which　the　Incas　had　embarked。　It　was　now　necessary　to　wait　till　they　returned　to　the　shore；　and　I　drew　back　into　the　darkness　of　a　near…by　corner　and　stood　motionless。
　They　were　still　on　the　raft　in　the　middle　of　the　lake；　waiting；　spear　in　hand。　I　watched　them　in　furious　impatience；　on　the　border　of　mania。
　Suddenly　I　saw　a　dark；　crouching　form　outlined　against　a　boulder　not　ten　feet　away　from　where　I　stood。　The　form　was　human；　but　in　some　way　unlike　the　Incas　I　had　seen。　I　could　not　see　its　face；　but　the　alertness　suggested　by　its　attitude　made　me　certain　that　I　had　been　discovered。
　Vaguely　I　felt　myself　surrounded　on　every　side；　I　seemed　to　feel　eyes　gazing　unseen　from　every　direction；　but　I　could　not　force　myself　to　search　the　darkness；　my　heart　rose　to　my　throat　and　choked　me；　and　I　stood　absolutely　powerless　to　make　a　sound　or　movement；　gazing　in　a　sort　of　dumb　fascination　at　that　silent；　crouching　figure。
　Suddenly　it　crouched　lower　still　against　the　black　background　of　the　boulder。
　〃Another　second　and　he　will　be　at　my　throat；〃　I　thought…but　I　stood　still；　unable　to　move。
　But　the　figure　did　not　spring。　Instead；　it　suddenly　straightened　up　to　almost　twice　the　height　of　an　Inca；　and　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　white　face　and　ragged；　clinging　garments。
　〃Harry！〃　I　whispered。　I　wonder　yet　that　it　was　not　a　shout。
　〃Thank　God！〃　came　his　voice；　also　in　a　whisper；　and　in　another　moment　he　had　reached　my　side。
　A　hurried　word　or　two…there　was　no　time　for　more…and　I　pointed　to　the　Incas　on　the　raft；　saying：　〃We　want　those　spears。〃
　〃I　was　after　them；〃　he　grinned。　〃What　shall　we　do？〃
　〃There's　no　use　taking　them　while　the　Incas　are　away；〃　I　replied；　〃because　they　would　soon　return　and　find　them　gone。
　Surely　we　can　handle　two　of　them。〃
　As　I　spoke　there　came　a　sound　from　the　lake…a　sudden　loud　splash　followed　by　a　motion　in　the　water。　I　looked　around　the　corner　of　the　boulder　and　saw　that　the　spears　again　found　their　mark。
　〃e；〃　I　whispered；　and　began　to　pick　my　way　toward　the　ledge。
　Harry　followed　close　at　my　heels。　It　was　easier　here；　and　we　soon　found　ourselves　close　to　the　shore　of　the　lake；　with　a　smooth　stretch　of　rock　between　us　and　the　fisherman's　landing…place。　The　urns；　whose　light　was　quite　sufficient　here；　were　about　fifty　feet　to　the　right　and　rear。
　The　Incas　had　made　their　kill　and　were　paddling　for　the　shore。
　As　they　came　near；　Harry　and　I　sank　back　against　the　boulder；　which　extended　to　the　boundary　of　the　ledge。　Soon　the　raft　was　beached　and　pulled　well　away　from　the　water；　and　the　fish…I　was　amazed　at　its　size…followed。
　They　drew　forth　the　spears　and　laid　them　on　the　ground；　as　they　had　done　formerly；　and；　laying　hold　on　the　immense　fish；　still　floundering　ponderously　about；　began　to　drag　it　toward　the　mouth　of　the　passage。
　〃Now；〃　whispered　Harry；　and　as　he　stood　close　at　my　side　I　could　feel　his　body　draw　together　for　the　spring。
　I　laid　a　hand　on　his　arm。
　〃Not　yet。　Others　may　be　waiting　for　them　in　the　passage。
　Wait　till　they　return。〃
　In　a　few　minutes　they　reappeared　in　the　light　of　the　flaming　urns。　I　waited　till　they　had　advanced　half…way　to　the　water's　edge；　some　thirty　feet　away。　Then　I　whispered　to　Harry：　〃You　for　the　left；　me　for　the　right；〃　and　released　my　hold　on　his　arm；　and　the　next　instant　we　were　bounding　furiously　across　the　ledge。
　Taken　by　surprise；　the　Incas　offered　no　resistance　whatever。
　The　momentum　of　our　assault　carried　them　to　the　ground；　their　heads　struck　the　hard　granite　with　fearful　force　and　they　lay　stunned。
　Harry；　kneeling　over　them；　looked　up　at　me　with　a　question　in　his　eyes。
　〃The　lake；〃　said　I；　for　it　was　no　time　for　squeamishness。
　Our　friend　the　king　thought　us　dead；　and　we　wanted　no　witnesses　that　we　had　returned　to　life。　We　laid　hold　of　the　unconscious　bodies；　dragged　them　to　the　edge　of　the　lake；　and　pushed　them　in。　The　shock　of　the　cold　water　brought　one　of　them　to　life；　and　he　started　to　swim；　and　we…well；　we　did　what　had　to　be　done。
　We　had　our　spears。　I　examined　them　curiously。
　The　head　appeared　to　be　of　copper　and　the　shaft　was　a　long；　thin　rod　of　the　same　material。　But　when　I　tried　it　against　a　stone　and　saw　its　hardness　I　found　that　it　was　much　less　soft；　and　consequently　more　effective；　than　copper　would　have　been。　That　those　underground　savages　had　succeeded　in　bining　metals　was　incredible；　but　there　was　the　evidence；　and；　besides；　it　may　have　been　a　trick　of　nature　herself。
　The　point　was　some　six　inches　long　and　very　sharp。　It　was　set　on　the　shaft　in　a　wedge；　and　bound　with　thin；　tough　strips　of　hide。
　Altogether；　a　weapon　not　to　be　laughed　at。
　We　carried　the　spears；　the　raft；　and　the　oars　behind　a　large　boulder　to　the　left　of　the　ledge　with　considerable　difficulty。　The　two　latter　not　because　we　expected　them　to　be　of　any　service；　but　in　order　not　to　leave　any　trace　of　our　presence；　for　if　any　searchers　came　and　found　nothing　they　could　know　nothing。
　We　expected　them　to　arrive　at　any　moment；　and　we　waited　for　hours。　We　had　about　given　up　watching