onsiderably less than
ten dollars in New York, but to the chieftain they were priceless
treasures; and as McKay, with a formal bow, extended them to him, his
face shone with delight. Yet he made no such greedy grab for them as had
been displayed by Suba when tendered the knife. His acceptance was
achieved with a calm dignity which brought a twinkle of approval to the
eyes of the white men.

In the same dignified manner he led the way to the _maloca_ which
evidently was the older of the two and which had always been his home.
The semicircle of his subjects broke up into a disorderly crowd which
streamed after him and his guests or surrounded the men of Suba with
holiday greetings. Within the tribal house the adventurers proceeded to
the central space where burned the chief's fire. There Monitaya ordered
certain hammocks removed to make room for those of the visitors. Soon
the travelers were seated at ease in their hanging beds, their packs and
rifles lying on the ground beneath them, while near at hand clustered
groups of Mayorunas, staring at them in naive curiosity.

Pedro drew a long breath.

"Senhores, that was a very close call," he declared. "As Lourenco says,
our lives have hung on one word. What was that word, comrade?"

"The word was, 'No,'" answered Lourenco. "Monitaya asked those two
crippled men, 'Is this the man?' As you saw, they looked at the capitao,
giving no attention to the rest of us. Then they said, 'No.' You will
remember that the capitao was the one whom Suba also picked upon. As
soon as Monitaya finishes talking with those men I shall ask him what
all this means."

The big chief was giving directions to a score of young fellows, who
presently scattered to various parts of the house and accoutered
themselves for hunting. Thereupon Lourenco approached Monitaya with the
familiarity of former acquaintance, being received with a good-humored
smile. For a time the two conversed. As they talked the smile of the
ruler faded and his face grew dark, while into the Brazilian's voice
came a wrathful growl. Finally both nodded. Lourenco returned to his
hammock, frowning.

"Capitao, it is all because of your black hair and beard. Through all
the _malocas_ of the Mayorunas, far and near, has gone the word to watch
for a big, black-bearded man who is neither a Brazilian nor a Peruvian,
but of some country unknown to these people; and when such a man is
caught, to kill him and his companions without mercy.