sers-by or not until the Indian said
sharply:

"Go back; I do not wish to die."

"If you're frightened of course I'll get out of the way," Jake replied
half angrily; "but before we leave this town I'll show you how much
reason there is for being afraid."

"And in ten minutes from that time you will cease to live," Poyor
replied gravely, as he left the building, closing the door carefully
behind him.

"It will be well to remember what he has said," Cummings added sharply
as he approached the engineer to bar the door. "These people are
peaceable until the time comes when religion and all the traditions of
their race tell that a long remembered wrong should be avenged, and then
no class can be more implacable. I would not show my face outside of
this door for as much gold as can be found in Yucatan."

This remark silenced Jake, but he was by no means convinced of its
truthfulness, as could be told by his whispered remark to Neal:

"They know we will have a chance to lug off a pile of money, an' to
prevent us from wantin' too much, try to prove that we must stay out of
sight so's they can get the cream of the bargain."

"Don't do anything foolish," Teddy replied earnestly. "Cummings would
not have asked us to come with him unless there had been good reason for
wanting assistance, and it is not possible he has made any mistake
regarding the nature of the people."

Jake had nothing more to say; but it could readily be seen that he
believed his own ideas on the subject were correct, and at this moment
something occurred which demanded his entire attention.

Poyor had but just left the building, and a crowd was gathering in front
of the door, causing Cummings to say with every sign of fear:

"We shall soon have a chance of learning what these people will do in
event of finding a white man in the city, for it looks as if we were
discovered."

CHAPTER XIV.

THE FESTIVAL.

It can well be imagined with what anxiety the party in the building
looked through the narrow apertures at the crowd below.

Even Jake began to fancy he had made a mistake in regard to their
peaceful dispositions, and Teddy noticed that he examined very carefully
all the weapons.

Those on the outside were armed chiefly with bows and arrows; but a few
carried a sort of spear with a tip which looked not unlike glass, and
Neal whispered to Cummings:

"If they have got nothing but arrows we ought to be able to hold a large
number in ch