been unconscious for
hours."

"They carried us?"

"Yes. A thousand miles, I think, on their backs. What--what are they,
Paul?"

"I don't know. Did you see them?"

"No. Too dark. They are strong as gorillas and covered with hair; I
felt that much. They didn't make a sound all the time. No more than
half as big as me, and yet one of them carried me as if I were a
baby--and I weigh one hundred and seventy pounds."

"What are we bound with?"

"Don't know; it feels like leather; tough as rats. I've been working
at it for two hours, but it won't give."

"Well, you know what that means. Dumb brutes don't tie a man up."

"But it's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible. But listen!"

There was a sound--the swift patter of feet; they were approaching.
Then suddenly a form bent over me close; I could see nothing, but I
felt a pressure against my body and an ill-smelling odor,
indescribable, entered my nostrils. I felt a sawing movement at my
wrists; the thongs pulled back and forth, and soon my hands were free.
The form straightened away from me, there was a clatter on the ground
near my head, and then silence.

There came an oath from Harry:

"Hang the brute! He's cut my wrist. Are your hands free, Paul?"

"Yes."

"Then bind this up; it's bleeding badly. What was that for?"

"I have an idea," I answered as I tore a strip from my shirt and
bandaged the wound, which proved to be slight. Then I searched on the
ground beside me, and found my surmise correct.

"Here you go, Hal! here's some grub. But what the deuce is it? By
Jove, it's dried fish! Now, where in the name of--"

But we wasted no more time in talk, for we were half starved. The
stuff was not bad; to us who had been fasting for something like
thirty-six hours--for our idea of time was extremely hazy--it was a
gorgeous banquet. And close by there was a basin full of water.

"Pretty decent sort of beggars, I say," came Harry's voice in the
darkness. "But who are they?"

"Ask Felipe," I answered, for by this time I was well convinced of the
nature and identity of our captors. "As I said, dumb brutes don't bind
men with thongs, nor feed them on dried fish. Of course it's
incredible, but a man must be prepared to believe anything."

"But, Paul! You mean--"

"Exactly. We are in the hands of the Incas of Huanuco--or rather their
descendants."

"But that was four hundred years ago!"

"Your history is perfect, like Desiree's