CHAPTER XV. ASTOUNDING, YET TRUE.
The professor gave a great start at this almost reluctant suggestion,shrinking back with a look which fell not far short of being horrified.But then he rallied, forcing a laugh before speaking.
"No, no, Bruno. All conditions are lacking to form the mirage of thedesert. And, too; everything was so distinct and clearly outlined thatone could--"
"Fairly feel those blessed bow-arrows tickling a fellow in the shortribs," vigorously declared the younger Gillespie. "Not but that--I say,uncle Phaeton?"
"What is it now, Waldo?"
"Reckon they're like any other people? Got boys and--and girls among'em, I wonder?"
"I daresay, yes, why not?" answered Featherwit, scarcely realisingwhat words were being shaped by his lips, while Bruno broke into abrief-lived laugh, more at that half-sheepish expression than at thequery itself.
"Both boys and girls galore, I expect, Kid; but you needn't borrowtrouble on either score. You can outrun the lads, while as for thefairer sex,--well, they'll take precious good care to keep well beyondyour reach,--especially if you wear such another fascinating grin as--"
"Oh, you go to thunder, Bruno Gillespie!"
Through all this interchange the air-ship was maintaining a wide sweep,drawing nearer the forest beneath, if only to keep hidden from the eyesof the strange people in yonder deep valley. Yet the gaze of PhaetonFeatherwit as a rule kept turned towards that particular point, his eyeson fire, his lips twitching, his whole demeanour that of one who feels adiscovery of tremendous importance lies just before him.
"Are we going to land, uncle Phaeton?" queried Bruno, taking note ofthat preoccupation, which might easily prove dangerous under existingcircumstances.
That question served to recall the professor to more material points,and, after a keen, sweeping look around, he nodded assent.
"Yes, as soon as I can discover or secure a fair chance. I wish to seemore--I must secure a fairer view of the--of yonder place."
"Will it not be too dangerous, though? Not for us, especially, uncle,but for the aerostat? Even if these be not the people you imagine--"
"They are past all doubt a remnant of the ancient Aztecs. Yonder liesthe true Lost City, and we are--oh, try to comprehend all that statementmeans, my lads! Picture to yourselves what boundless fame and unlimitedcredit awaits our report to the outer world! The benighted world! Thebesotted world! The--the--"
"While we'll form the upsotted world, or a portion of it, withoutsomething is done,--and that in a howling hurry, too!" fairly splutteredWaldo, as the again neglected air-ship sped swiftly towards a moreelevated portion of that earth, part of the tall hill-crest which actedas nature's barricade to yonder by nature depressed valley.
"Time enough, lad, time enough, since we are going to land," coollyassured the professor, deftly manipulating the steering-gear and stillcurying around those tree-crowned hills. "If we are really hunted after,'twill naturally be in the quarter of our vanishment, while by alightingaround yonder, nearly at right angles with our initial approach, we willhave naught to fear from the--the Aztecan clans!"
Clearly the professor had settled in his own mind just what lay beforethem, and nothing short of the Lost City of the Aztecs would comeanywhere near satisfying that exalted ideal. And, taking all points intofull consideration, was there anything so very absurd in his method ofreasoning, or of drawing a deduction?
Still, that exaltation did not prevent uncle Phaeton from takingall essential precautions, and it was only when an especially securelanding-place was sighted that he really attempted to touch the earth.
Fully one-half of that wide circuit had been made, and as nothing couldbe detected to give birth to fears for either self or air-ship, theaeronauts skilfully landed their vessel with only the slightest ofjars. It was a well-screened location, where naught could be seen of theflying-machine until close at hand, yet so arranged as to make a hastyflight a very easy matter should the occasion ever arise.
Not until the landing was effected and all made secure, did ProfessorFeatherwit speak again. Then it was with gravely earnest speech whichsuitably affected his nephews.
"Above all things, my dear lads, bear ever in mind this one fact,--weare not here to fight. We do not come as conquerors, weapons in hand,hearts filled with lust of blood. To the contrary, we are on a peacefulmission, hoping to learn, trusting to enlighten, with malice towardsnone, but honest love for all those who may wear the human shape, bethey of our own colour or--or--otherwise."
"That's what's the matter with Hannah's cat!" cheerfully chipped in theirrepressible Waldo. "I say, uncle Phaeton, is it just a lie-low hereuntil yonder fellows grow tired of looking for what they can't find,then a flight on our part; or will we--"
"Have we voyaged so far and seen so much, to rest content with so verylittle?" exclaimed the professor, hardly as precise of speech asunder ordinary conditions. "No, no, my lads! Yonder lies the greatestdiscovery of the nineteenth century, and we are--Get a hustle on, boys!The day is waning, and with so much to see, to study, to--Come, I say!"
In spite of his initial attempt to impress his nephews with a due senseof the heavy responsibilities which rested upon them, Phaeton Featherwitwas far more excited than either one of the brothers. Doubtless he morenearly appreciated the importance of this wondrous discovery, providedhis now firm belief was correct,--that yonder stood a solid, substantialcity, erected by the hands of a people whom common consent had agreedwere long since wiped out of existence.
The story told by Cooper Edgecombe, backed up by the articles taken fromthe person of the warrior whom he had slain in self-defence, certainlyhad its weight; while the brief and imperfect glimpse which he had wonof yonder valley helped to bear out that astounding belief. And yet, howcould it be true?
Really believing, yet forced by more sober reason to doubt, the poorprofessor was literally "in a sweat" long ere another view could be wonof the depressed valley, although the landing of the air-ship was sowell chosen as to make that trip of the briefest duration consistentwith prudence.
The natural obstacles were considerable, however, and as they pickedtheir way along, the brothers for the first time began to gain a fairlyaccurate idea of what was meant by the term, a virgin forest.
To all seeming, the human foot had never ventured here, nor were anymarks or spoor of wild beasts perceptible on either side.
Although the aerostat had landed not far below the crest of those hills,the adventurers had to climb higher, before winning the coveted view,partly because the most practicable route led down into and along awinding gulch, where the footing was far less treacherous than upon thehigher ground, cumbered, as that was, with the leaf-mould of centuries.
Still, half an hour's steady labour brought the little squad to thecoveted point, and once again Professor Featherwit was almost literallystricken speechless,--for there, far below their present location,spread out in level expanse, lay the secret valley with all its marvels.
Far more extensive than it had appeared by that initial glimpse, thevalley itself seemed composed of fertile soil, yet, by aid of the riverwhich cut through, near its centre, irrigating ditches conveyed water toevery acre, thus ensuring bounteous crops of grain and of fruit as well.
Numerous buildings stood in irregular array, for the most part of nogreat height, nor with many pretensions towards architectural beauty orgrace of outline; but in the centre of the valley upreared its head amassive structure, pyramidal in shape, consisting of five comparativelynarrow terraces, connected one with another only at each of the fourcorners, where stood a wide-stepped flight of stones.
"Behold!" huskily gasped the professor, intensely excited, yet stillable to control the field-glass through which he was eagerly scanningyonder marvels. "The temple of the gods! And, yonder, the temple ofsacrifice, unless my memory is--and look! The people are--they wearjust such garb as--Oh, marvellous! Amazing! Astounding! Incredible--yettrue!"
Although their uncle could thus take
in the various details to betteradvantage, still the intervening distance was not so great as toentirely debar the brothers from finding no little to interest them, aswas readily proven by their various exclamations.
"Just look at the people, will ye, now? Flopping around like they hadn'tany bigger business than to--Reckon they're looking for us to come back,Bruno?"
"Or watching for the monster bird of prey, rather," suggested the elderGillespie. "Of course they couldn't distinguish our faces, and ourbodies were fairly well hidden. And, even more, of course, they must betotally ignorant of all such things as flying-machines and the like."
"Poor, ignorant devils!" sympathetically sighed the youngster. "Well,we'll have to do a little missionary work in this quarter, before takingour departure, eh, uncle Phaeton?"
With a start, Featherwit descended out of the clouds in which he hadbeen lost ever since winning a fair view of the secret city; andnow, rallying his wits and fairly aglow with eager interest in thismarvellous discovery, he began pointing out the various objects ofspecial importance, naming them with glib assurance, then reminding theboys how wonderfully similar all was to what had existed in Old Mexicobefore the conquest.
Bruno listened with greater interest than his brother could summon atwill. For one thing, he had long been a lover of the genial Prescott,and, now that his memory was freshened in part, was able to closelyfollow the course of that little lecture, noting each strong point madeby the professor in bolstering up his delightful theory.
That monologue, however, was abruptly broken in upon by Waldo, who gavean eager exclamation, as he reached forth a pointing finger:
"Look! There's a white woman yonder,--two of 'em, in fact!"
The Lost City Page 15
