e place,
and seeing the treasure with your own eyes."

"H'm!" said Jim, "yes; that is of course the most satisfactory way of
proving the matter. My messenger cannot possibly return for eight or
ten days yet, so I should have plenty of time to make the journey. I
can leave the fort in charge of Lieutenant Munoz, as there is really
nothing in the way of duty to keep me here. Yes, I think that will be
best. Very well, Jose," continued the Englishman, "we will start early
to-morrow morning; and you shall show me the way to this wonderful
treasure-house of which you speak. You had better not talk too much,
however, about the matter whereon we shall be engaged; for there is no
need to excite an undue amount of curiosity about our movements. Make
all the necessary preparations to-day,--you will of course know what we
ought to take with us for the expedition,--and I will let it be
understood that I am setting out for a hunt of two or three days'
duration. We can make an early start, travel during the day, encamp on
the spot for the night, and start work on the second day, returning here
on the third. That ought to give us enough time to do what we have to
do, ought it not?"

"Plenty of time, Excellency," returned the Indian. "And the senor need
not be afraid that I shall disclose the secret of our journey. You had
better take a rifle with you, senor, and let me take one, too; for it is
just possible that we might be obliged to defend the treasure after we
have secured it."

Jose then went away to make his preparations, while Jim remained in his
tent thinking over the very curious train of incidents which had led up
to that of this morning. Later in the day he sent for Munoz and handed
the command over to the lieutenant during his absence, giving him
instructions how to act in any eventuality which was in the least likely
to arise; and the next morning, just before daybreak, he set off in
company with the Indian for the spot where the Inca's treasure was
asserted to be concealed. Two mules had been loaded with provisions, a
tent, cooking utensils, blankets, etcetera, and in the middle of the
blankets had been concealed a couple of picks and the same number of
shovels. Jim and the Indian each carried an ordinary army rifle slung
over his shoulder, and had a bandolier of cartridges strapped round his
waist, so that they were well prepared for whatever might befall.

The treasure was buried, said Jose, in a cave in