gland, I shall
take the liberty of withdrawing one bar of gold from the palace treasure
chamber for that purpose."

"Assuredly, Lord," answered Umu. "You shall be furnished with a
reliable guide--you can have none better than Arima--and also such an
escort as will enable you to perform your journey in perfect safety and
comfort. As to the gold, it must of course be for you to determine how
much you will need to defray your expenses back to your own country; but
what of the remainder of the treasure? You will scarcely be able to
take the whole of it with you; for to transport it across the mountains
would need the services of every man in the valley, and so large a
following as that would be apt to attract undue and unwelcome
attention."

"Ay, that it would," laughed Harry. "But I have no intention of robbing
you of all your treasure, Umu; very far from it. A single bar of gold
will suffice for all my needs, thanks!"

"But the whole of the treasure is yours, Lord, to do what you will with
it," answered Umu. "It was given to you on the day when you were
proclaimed Inca; and--"

"Oh, yes, I know!" interrupted Harry; "it was given me for a certain
purpose, to wit, the reconquest of the country and its restoration to
its former owners. But since the people are too indolent and too self-
indulgent to allow me to do this for them, of course I have no claim
upon the treasure, and could not possibly dream of appropriating it to
my own uses."

"So let it be then, Lord," answered Umu. "Take what you require; and,
for the rest, I will deal with the matter."

A week later witnessed Escombe's departure from the Valley of the Sun,
with Arima as his guide, and a troop of the Inca's bodyguard as his
escort. As Umu had promised, every possible arrangement had been made
for his safety and comfort on the journey; and that portion of it which
lay between the valley and Santa Rosa was accomplished far more
agreeably than was that which lay between Santa Rosa and the sea. The
bodyguard escorted him to within twenty miles of Santa Rosa, which was
as close to the city as it was prudent for them to approach, and then
left him to complete the journey in the company of Arima and the porters
who bore his baggage for him. There was not very much of the latter now
remaining; nevertheless his following amounted to some twenty-five men;
for in addition to Escombe's personal belongings, tent, etcetera, there
were three stout wooden ca