one, granite, and quartzite,
which are of marked difference both in the quality of hardness and in
their ability to withstand the attacks of time. When one finds itself
unable to support the other, something happens."

"But it might not happen for a hundred years."

"Or never," I agreed.

Again silence. Harry stood gazing at one of the flaming urns, buried
in thought--easy to guess of what nature. I did not think fit to
disturb him, till presently he spoke again.

"What do you suppose that ugly devil will do about--what he saw in
here?"

I smiled. "Nothing."

"But if he should? We are helpless."

"Trust Desiree. It's true that she can't even talk to him, but she'll
manage him somehow. You saw what happened just now."

"But the creature is no better than a dumb brute. He is capable of
anything. I tell you, we ought to get her away from here."

"To starve?"

"And we're none too safe ourselves. As for starving, we could carry
enough of their darned fish to last a year. And one thing is sure: we
won't get back to New York lying round here waiting for something to
turn up--even a mountain."

"What do you want to do?"

"Clear out. Get Desiree away from that ugly brute. If we only had our
knives!"

"Where would we go?"

In that question was the whole matter. To escape with Desiree was
possible--but then what? We knew by experience what it meant to wander
hopelessly about in the darkness of those desolate caverns, without
food, and depending on Providence for water. Neither of us cared to
repeat that trial, especially with the added difficulty of a woman to
care for. But what to do?

We decided to wait for the future, and in the mean time lay in a supply
of provisions, and, if possible, devise some sort of weapons.

It is worth remarking here that the Incas, so far as we had seen, used
no weapons whatever. This was most probably the result of their total
isolation and consequent freedom from foreign hostility.

In the matter of food we were soon to receive an agreeable surprise.
It was about an hour after Desiree had left us that the royal
steward--I give him the title on my own responsibility--arrived, with
pots and pans on a huge tray.

In the first place, the pots and pans were of solid gold. Harry stared
in amazement as they were placed in brilliant array on one of the stone
tables; and when we essayed to lift the empty tray from another table
on which it had been placed we unders