so that you can get at it
easily, and then come along."

Under cover of one of the tables the lads shifted their revolvers from
one pocket to the other, and then began to walk toward the door; but no
sooner had they started than, with a hoarse growl of rage, a score of
men, drawing daggers and knives from various portions of their clothing,
dashed at the boys, upsetting chairs and tables as they came, and
evidently bent upon taking their lives, if possible.

As a matter of fact it was only the obstructive presence of the numerous
tables and chairs that saved the two lads from that first wild rush.
With all the agility of youth they sprang back to the corner where they
had taken their meal, put their backs against the wall for safety's
sake, and drawing their pistols, presented them at the crowd of furious
men, Terry inquiring, at the same time, in the best Spanish he could
muster, the meaning of this murderous assault.

Seeing the muzzles of the deadly revolvers pointed at them, their
assailants paused for a few seconds, while one of the men--a gigantic
Chilian with a blanket poncho over his shoulders--took it upon himself
to answer the lad's inquiry.

"Why are we going to kill you, you dogs?" he roared. "Why?--because you
are a brace of Peruvian spies. _Caramba_! we know very well why you
have come here; but neither of you shall leave this place alive. We
have a quick way with people of your stamp in this country."

"But," exclaimed Douglas, at the top of his voice, "you are all making a
mistake; we are no Peruvian spies, but a couple of British sailors, who
have left our ship, the _Pericles_, in order to enlist in the Chilian
navy, and fight against the Peruvians, not for them. We are merely
waiting for the offices to open, in order to proceed there and give in
our names as candidates for service."

The only reply to this statement was a volley of oaths and mocking
laughter, interspersed with the words "liar," "traitors," and "Kill the
Inca dogs"; while, recovering from their momentary alarm at the sight of
the pistols, the crowd again began to surge forward toward the two lads.
The situation was becoming exceedingly critical; therefore, again
raising his revolver, Douglas pointed it straight at the foremost man
and shouted, "One step farther and I fire!"

The fellow hesitated for the fraction of a second, then his hand shot
forward swiftly as a flash of lightning, and the knife which it had
held, missing