It was this that saved them from the flying hail of spears and darts1. As the grizzled seaman2 shouted his warning, they ducked down simultaneously3 and Tom pulled the levers that ought to have sent the panels into place, instantly converting the flying auto4 into an impregnable fortress5. But it was just at this critical moment that an unexpected hitch6 occurred.
The panels refused to move!
“Up with them, quick!” roared the captain.
“Hurry!” cried Mr. Chadwick.
“I—I can’t make them work!” panted Tom, struggling with the levers, “they’re stuck or something.”
“Great dolphins!” groaned7 the captain. “It’s all up with us then.”
Before Jack8 had time to inflate9 the already well-filled gas-bag sufficiently10 to rise, a wave of humanity broke over the side of the machine. There was no time to snatch up the rifles, hardly an instant in which even to raise their hands. Within ten seconds from the time the first spear whizzed through the air above the adventurers, crouching11 low in their craft, they were prisoners of Chekla’s tribe.
Here was a fine ending to all their hopes! From the yells and shouts that rose about them they guessed that they might look for scant12 mercy at the hands of the Indians, who evidently thought that they had had something to do with the stealing of the idol13.
They were hustled14 out of the machine by a score of hands and marched none too gently toward the central building. As they went, they had the satisfaction of seeing the little stone god that was to have brought them good luck, stripped from the stanchions by some of the red-robed men.
It was held aloft while a low, dismal15 sort of chant filled the air. Many of the Indians prostrated16 themselves before the upheld image. Evidently its return was regarded as being a momentous17 occasion.
“What is going to be done with us?” Captain Sprowl demanded of the red-robed Indian who had acted as interpreter and who, with two of his companions, accompanied the boys and their friends to the central house.
But the interpreter affected18 not to hear.
“Looks mighty19 bad,” muttered the captain to Jack, who was alongside him; “in fact, I don’t see how it could be much worse. These fellows were inclined to think that we were all right and some sort of little tin gods ourselves, till they saw that pesky idol. Then it was all off.”
“It was all my fault for putting it there,” lamented20 Jack bitterly. “Well, it’s proved a fine mascot—I don’t think.”
Nothing more was said, and the prisoners trudged21 along in silence in the midst of the throng22 that enveloped23 them. No attempt was made to offer them any violence, but somehow the very apathy24 of the crowd appeared more ominous25 than if they had resorted to active resentment26. As Jack thought to himself: “It looks as if they had our fate all cut and dried.”
As if in answer to his unspoken thought were the next words of Captain Sprowl:
“Whatever is going to happen to us, these fellows know before it comes off. But we’ve got to put the best face we can on the matter and show them that Americans ain’t going to be scared out of their seven senses by a bunch of image worshippers.”
Insensibly the doughty28 little captain threw out his chest and glared about him at the capering29 Indians that surrounded them.
“I wish I had my hands free; I’d spoil some of your ugly mugs for you,” he grunted30.
Suddenly the throng broke into a measured chant. It rose and swelled31 with hideous32 lack of harmony to the white men’s ears. But nevertheless the chorused burden of the thing was unpleasantly suggestive. The prisoners found themselves actually glad when they reached the central stone house and were escorted inside by the two red-robed priests and six of the feather-ornamented33 natives.
Once inside the place, the great doors by which they had entered were closed on the mob outside, shutting off their depressing chant. They noticed that the doors were formed of a sort of white stone of immense thickness but beautifully carved, although what the carvings34 represented they could not make out. They were hurried along too fast for that.
It was evident, however, that the stone structure was, in part at any rate, a royal residence. Within the stone doors was a circular chamber35 capped with a dome36 of really beautiful proportions, considering the fact that the Indians must be ignorant of even the fundamental principles of architecture or geometrical design. In fact, they learned afterward37 that the stone palace was of extremely ancient origin, the work of some forgotten and highly civilized38 race, possibly allied39 to the intellectual Aztecs. Chekla’s tribe had simply found the place there and built up a village around it.
The domed40 central chamber was furnished with mats and hung with skins and spears, and the walls were ornamented with crude carvings. It was without windows, being lighted by means of openings in the stones set in regular rotation41 around the base of the dome. At each side, however, was a low doorway42, hung with curtains of some sort of plaited grass. Through one of these they were escorted and found themselves in a passage, at the other end of which was another door.
They passed through this and entered a rock-walled chamber absolutely bare of any sort of furniture or fittings. It had a damp, musty sort of odor attaching to it and this, together with the fact that the passage had inclined downward rather steeply, led them to believe that they must be underground.
But wherever they were, it was evident that they had reached their destination. The red-robe who had acted as interpreter spoke27 to his assistants and they released the captives. Then they backed out slowly, menacing the white men with their spears in case they might attempt to “rush” them.
They reached the doorway, and still holding their spears in threatening postures43, backed out. The red-robed man was the last to go. As he vanished a stone door poised44 on unseen hinges swung noiselessly into place. The prisoners exchanged despairing glances. Under what conditions would that door be reopened? Would it be when they were led forth45 to death or torture?
A search of the rocky chamber, made as a forlorn hope, without any idea of finding a place by which an escape might be effected, showed that, with the exception of the door and a sort of lattice-work opening in the ceiling through which light and air came, the place was solidly walled in.
“Well, I don’t see what we can do except possess our souls in patience and sit down and wait for what’s to come,” declared Captain Sprowl, when the examination had been concluded.
“There’s nothing else to be done,” agreed Mr. Chadwick despondently46.
“Chentlemen,” spoke up Professor Von Dinkelspeil, “dis is mein fauldt. I cannodt ask you to forgive me, budt I vould radder haf nefer seen der country dan dat dis shouldt have happened.”
“It’s not your fault, professor,” declared Mr. Chadwick warmly; “we undertook this expedition knowing what risks we were facing, and we must meet our fates like men.”
“What do you think will become of us?” asked Tom in a doleful tone.
“I can form no idea,” rejoined his uncle. “I hardly think that they will dare to proceed too far. This country is not absolutely inaccessible47 and Judkins, in the event of the worst happening, would take the news to the outer world and we should be avenged48.”
“A lot of good that would do us,” snorted Dick Donovan.
“It’s your own fault that you’re here, anyhow,” snapped Tom irritably49.
“True enough,” admitted Dick, “I didn’t mean to complain. I can face anything we’ve got to go through as an American should. At least, I hope so.”
Conversation languished50 after this. They sat leaning against the walls of the place, each busied with his own thoughts. But the undaunted professor was busy examining the walls. In his scientific ardor51 in gazing at the many queer scrawlings with which they were covered, he appeared to have forgotten everything. Suddenly he gave utterance52 to a sharp exclamation53.
“Himmel! Vos is dis?”
And then the next minute his voice rang out sharply, trembling with suppressed excitement:
“Chentlemen! Look! I haf foundt idt!”
For one joyous54 instant they thought that he had discovered a way of escape. But they soon saw that it was one of the wall carvings that had attracted his attention and caused his outburst.
“What is it? Nothing but a hunting scene, ain’t it?” asked the captain, who was nearest to the excitable German.
“Precious badly done, too,” he added. “I know kids at home in Maine, eleven-year-old kids, that could do better than that.”
“Ach! Dot is nodt idt!” exclaimed the professor impatiently. “Idt is nodt a vurk of arts dot I know. Budt idt iss something bedder—idt iss a picture of der hunting of der Megatherium!”
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1
darts
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| n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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2
seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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3
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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auto
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| n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车 | |
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fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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6
hitch
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| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
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7
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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8
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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9
inflate
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| vt.使膨胀，使骄傲，抬高（物价） | |
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10
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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11
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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12
scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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13
idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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14
hustled
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| 催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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15
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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16
prostrated
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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20
lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21
trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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22
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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23
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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25
ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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27
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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28
doughty
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| adj.勇猛的，坚强的 | |
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29
capering
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| v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的现在分词 )；蹦蹦跳跳 | |
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30
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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31
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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32
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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33
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
carvings
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| n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 )；雕刻术；雕刻品；雕刻物 | |
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35
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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36
dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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37
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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38
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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39
allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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40
domed
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| adj. 圆屋顶的, 半球形的, 拱曲的 动词dome的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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41
rotation
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| n.旋转；循环，轮流 | |
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42
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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43
postures
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| 姿势( posture的名词复数 )； 看法； 态度； 立场 | |
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44
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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45
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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46
despondently
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| adv.沮丧地，意志消沉地 | |
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47
inaccessible
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| adj.达不到的，难接近的 | |
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48
avenged
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| v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复 | |
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49
irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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50
languished
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| 长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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51
ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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52
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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53
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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54
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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