extent that he could scarcely articulate, the thoroughly frightened
Inaguy obeyed his master's order, and his astonishment and terror were
so obviously genuine that they only added to the already profound effect
produced upon the Indians by the seeming miracle of speech from their
hitherto dumb god. Had the chief been a little less astonished than he
was, it might have occurred to him to wonder why the idol had chosen to
express his will in a language that needed interpretation; but obviously
he was altogether too profoundly impressed by the marvellous happening
for the smallest shred of suspicion to enter his mind, and upon
receiving the message he immediately wheeled round, and prostrating
himself with his face to the ground--an example instantly followed by
those about him--mumbled a long statement which, upon being translated
by Inaguy, proved to be an emphatic assurance that nothing whatever
should be done that could provoke the god's displeasure. This done, he
rose to his feet and shouted an order for the immediate release of the
hostages; after which he turned to Earle and Dick and reverentially bade
them welcome to the village, at the same time requesting them to pitch
their camp wherever they pleased.

Earle, having chosen a spot well out in the open, where anything in the
nature of a sudden surprise would be difficult--though he explained to
Dick that, after what had happened, he had little or no fear of anything
of the kind--intimated to the chief his desire to see the sick people at
once, and went off with that individual, leaving Dick to supervise the
arrangement of the camp.

Meanwhile Dick, who was by no means a fool, had been thinking matters
over, and had come to the conclusion that he understood the apparent
mystery of the idol's speech, and chuckled to himself over Earle's
cleverness, which had been so wonderful as to mystify even the young
Englishman for the moment.

By the time that Earle reached the camp, after paying his professional
visit to the sick, the camp was all in order, and supper was nearly
ready. Earle was in fine feather, for not only had he discovered that
the invalids were all down with swamp fever, which, severe as it was, he
was confident of his ability to cure, but upon questioning the chief
with regard to the great object of his quest, he had been informed that
a tribe of Indians known as the Mangeromas, occupying territory many
days' march toward the south-west, were belie