sided, by a short route, if
Harry would consent to be blindfolded during their passage of certain
portions of the way. To this the lad readily agreed--for he was by this
time becoming exceedingly anxious on Butler's account--and thereupon the
Indian, having hobbled the mules, demanded Harry's pocket--handkerchief
and immediately proceeded to blindfold the owner therewith, after which,
with joined hands, the pair resumed their way, travelling for two full
hours or more over exceedingly broken and difficult ground. Then the
pocket-handkerchief was removed, and Harry found himself standing in the
midst of a number of enormous fallen boulders at the foot of a
stupendous cliff, and facing an opening in the latter which had all the
appearance of being the mouth of a cavern. But by what route he had
arrived at the spot he could not tell, for he was so completely hemmed
in on every side by the boulders in the midst of which he stood that the
surrounding landscape was completely shut out, nothing being visible
save the boulders and the face of the cliff with the opening in it.
That he was correct in his surmise that this opening was a cavern was
now demonstrated by his Indian guide, who said:

"Be pleased to take my hand again, Senor, and follow me without fear.
This is one of several entrances to the cavern in which Cachama dwells.
You will find the ground smooth and even for almost the entire distance,
and presently we shall find torches by which to light our way."

And so, as a matter of fact, they did; for after traversing some ten or
fifteen yards the Indian halted and, releasing Escombe's hand, was heard
groping about in the darkness, and a moment later the rattling of dry
branches reached the lad's ears.

"Now, Senor," came the voice of the Indian out of the darkness, "if you
will graciously condescend to produce fire by means of those small
sticks which you call `matches' we shall soon have light to guide our
steps."

So said, so done; and as the torch kindled and blazed up the pair found
themselves standing in a rugged rock passage some five feet wide and
about eight feet high, with a perfectly smooth floor which, in the
flickering, uncertain light of the torch, presented the appearance of
having been brought into this condition by human agency. It was not
only smooth, but also level at the point where they stood. But even as
they started to resume their journey--the Indian bearing the torch and
leading the way