life on that, but we have one ally in
your friend Kaipi."

The path of the preceding day was smooth compared to the ground we
climbed over that morning. There was no trail as far as we could see.
Soma, who was in the lead, found his way by occasional marks that could
only be visible to the eye of a native. Barbara Herndon remarked on one
occasion that there was danger of our getting lost, but Leith grinned at
the remark.

"Soma has been here more than once," he replied. "What he doesn't know
about this place isn't worth knowing."

The path continued to ascend, but the thick tropical growth did not
lessen during the tramp of the morning. Leith walked with the
Professor, who appeared to be in a state of joy bordering upon hysteria,
while Holman and I in the rear tried to assist the two girls over the
roughest sections of the road. I thought as we scrambled through
impenetrable scrub and crawled over rocky piles that it was the
strangest expedition that had ever set forth. If Leith was the wicked
devil that we suspected him to be, four persons were risking their lives
to gratify the whim of a half-crazy scientist who was dying for
notoriety. He would not be turned aside from his pursuit of the
specimens which Leith had told him of; his daughters would not desert
him, and their resolve had brought Holman and myself. We were blind
automatons that the fame-seeking archaeologist was dragging at his heels.
He did not consider the sufferings of the two girls; least of all did he
think that Holman or myself was doing anything to safeguard his life or
property. He was blind to everything but the natural curiosities around
him, and he made frequent entries in the notebook that was to be his
crutch to Olympus.

Leith did not allow me to remain long in the rear. He called me up to
the front, and very politely asked me to help in hustling along the
carriers who were inclined to dawdle as the way grew rougher, and,
although I would much rather have had the task of helping the two
girls, I had to accept the position without demur. Leith was in charge,
and Holman and I were only intruders who had on standing, and whose food
was paid for by the Professor.

We halted at midday in an ugly-looking spot far up the shoulder of the
mountain that we were climbing, and through a break in the trees we
caught a glimpse of the Pacific. The ocean seemed directly beneath us,
and yet, as Edith Herndon expressed it, we seemed to be a thousand
le