CHAPTER XXIV
The Big Secret
"Careful, now."
Dr. Rander was slowly and dangerously hanging from the heavy wire withhis hands, working his way steadily across the roaring rapids below.If he were to fall, it would probably seal his doom, even though theyouths held one end of a stout rope that was tied securely around hiswaist.
"Think he'll make it?" Bob looked on anxiously, half expecting to seethe old man let go and plunge into the seething water below.
Slowly but surely he swung across, holding on with a grip of steel. Itseemed remarkable that a person of his age could withstand the arduoustasks connected with exploration. But no doubt he was hardened to aneventful outdoor life of adventure.
"He's over," cried Joe happily. "Made it all right. Didn't eventhreaten to let go. Now I wonder if we can do as well?"
The youths had yet to see.
Joe was next to swing across. He walked over to the cable and gazeddoubtfully first at the boiling stream below, then at Dr. Rander onthe opposite cliff.
"Go ahead," said Bob. "Might as well get it over."
"Yeah. But I wish it weren't necessary to do this. I suppose, though,that I can do it if Dr. Rander can."
Joe sat down on the edge of the cliff, took hold of the heavy wire,and slowly let himself down.
For a brief moment it seemed as if his arms would be torn from theirsockets, for, although he was not heavy, the strain was very great.
"I've got to make it!" he told himself, gritting his teeth. He refusedto think of what might happen if he were to plunge into the roaringrapids below.
"Don't let go, whatever you do!" Bob, on the rock, was holding therope tightly, ready to pull his friend to safety if the latter shouldbe forced to release his grip.
Joe swung across with a certain determination that was luckily withhim in every emergency. He did not look below for fear of becomingfrightened.
At last, when he felt that he could stand no more of this torture,the youth felt his foot touch rock, and he knew that he was safe.
"Hurrah!" cried Bob Holton, waving his arms in the air. "Now here Icome."
Bob would find the feat more difficult, since he was heavier thaneither of the two who had crossed. But usually when he set his mind ondoing a thing he was able to do it.
But first he walked over to the mules, which had been tetheredsecurely by Dr. Rander, and got out a stronger rope, which he tiedaround his waist and shoulders. A small weight he fixed at the otherend, and then moved back to the edge of the rock.
"Here. Catch this," he called, and threw the rope over to Joe on theother side of the river.
When everything was in readiness he slowly lowered himself until hecould grasp the wire that stretched across the stream. Then, settinghis nerves for the trying task, he let his feet drop.
For one awful minute Bob's heart stood still. Then he got a grip onhimself and swung easily across to the other side.
"That was fine!" praised Dr. Rander. "You never flinched. Now let'shurry up the mountain to the treasure."
"Do you suppose the mules will be safe over there?" queried Joeanxiously. "We couldn't take any food with us across the river. Ifanything should happen to them----"
"There is no danger," the old man assured him. "Probably no one hasbeen in this section for years and years."
Notwithstanding this, the young men were still worried. They realizedthat they would be in a grave predicament if anything should befallthe provisions.
This anxiety gradually wore off, however, as they neared the treasurecave.
"Hard climb, but nothing will stop us now," smiled Joe happily.
"You will be amazed when you look upon the wonders in the cave," Dr.Rander told them. "It will exceed your wildest dream."
"How did they all get there?" inquired Bob.
"I do not know. They were placed there by some wealthy Inca--perhaps aking--for safe keeping. It might have been that this was at the timeof the Spanish invasion, and that the owner was later killed by theconquering troops. At any rate, the secret remained as such until Iaccidentally found it."
"You sure were lucky," remarked Joe. "Perhaps it wouldn't have beendiscovered at all if you hadn't located it."
At a point near the ledge, the mountain grew so steep as to makeclimbing a very arduous task. A single misstep would have meant ahorrible plunge into the roaring rapids below.
At last they came to the top of the ledge, before the notch cut in themountainside.
"See that dark entrance?" asked Dr. Rander. "That is a tunnel thatleads to the cavern. Come."
The youths followed the old man into the opening, which was made lightby the latter's flashlight. The passage seemed to lead steadilyupward, probably into the peak of the mountain.
"Do you suppose this tunnel was constructed?" asked Joe, after fiveminutes had passed.
"I believe so," Dr. Rander returned. "When we get farther on, you willthink so too."
Fifteen minutes of walking brought them to the end of the tunnel. Fromall appearances there was nothing but natural rock before them.
"Watch," said Dr. Rander, moving over to the end of the cave.
He reached up and pressed a mysterious button. Then he stepped backand waited.
Suddenly the youths gasped in awe, as they saw the huge stone wallslowly swing inward. As it made an opening, a beam of natural lightflashed into the cave, making the use of a flashlight no longernecessary.
"Huh! That's funny!" muttered Joe. "Must be an entrance to the outsidesomewhere."
"If you can find it, it is more than I can do," laughed Dr. Rander.
The opening grew larger, and the light brighter. When the ponderousstone wall had swung away to the utmost, Bob and Joe followed the oldman through the entrance.
As they did so their eyes opened wide and their jaws dropped at thesight that lay before them. Ahead was a great stone room, fully fiftyfeet square, in which were scores of objects carved from stone.Statues of men, birds, llamas, pumas, and many other animals were allabout. Ears of corn, plows, chairs, pottery--all these and many moreobjects were carved out of stone.
It was a wonderful collection, one that would delight the eye of anyarchaeologist. Bob and Joe inspected the various objects with interest,knowing that Dr. Rust and his fellow scientists would give a greatdeal to know of the existence of this place of wonder.
"All this is very interesting," remarked the old man. "But what wereally came after was treasure--if there is any."
"Yeah. Where is the place where you said it might be?" Bob was anxiousto look for something still more valuable than the stone objects.
"I will show you."
Dr. Rander stepped over to one corner of the large room, where was ahuge statue of a man, perhaps an Inca king.
"Now look closely," he said, when the youths had followed him.
The old man walked up to the statue and stood directly in front of it.Then he waited.
At that moment something happened that caused Bob and Joe to gasp inwonder. Slowly, surely, the statue sank into the floor until itdisappeared from sight. Directly below the resulting opening was aladder, which led down into another gigantic room.
"Well, of all things!" cried Joe in utter amazement. "That sure is asecret if there ever was one."
"Let us go down." Dr. Rander was making his way down the ladder,motioning for the youths to follow.
They did and soon found themselves in a huge cavern cut out of solidrock. Here were more stone objects similar to the ones in the roomabove them.
"This way," pointed out the old man, walking over to one side of thecave.
"Wonder where the light comes from?" pondered Bob. "It's from theoutside, all right, but how does it get in?"
Dr. Rander bent over and pressed something in a crack in the floor,straightening up a moment later.
Again the youths were filled with amazement. A huge stone block swungaway on unseen hinges, leaving an opening perhaps four feet in width.
"
Now we must use flashlights," Dr. Rander said, stepping inside."There is no opening to the outside, apparently."
The beams of the electric torches revealed the fact that they were inanother cave.
"Over here," explained the old man, "is a sort of bin cut out of therock. It is covered with a stone that I cannot lift. But I feel surethat all three of us can."
"Let's have a look at it," said Bob.
Together they heaved on the stone block with all their strength.Before long they saw that their efforts were not in vain. The stonewas slowly slipping from the top of the bin. At length it fell to thefloor with a dull thud.
The explorers turned the beams of the flashlights into the opening,looking about eagerly.
"Here's something," announced Joe, bringing out a small iron box.
"Open it," directed Dr. Rander.
Joe did--and then cried out in wonder as he saw its contents.
Secrets of the Andes Page 24
