Prince Huaca abruptly returned to his seat, and placed his head in his hands. He sat, bowed in thought. None interrupted. Presently, he again looked up.

"And are all these peoples powerful?"

"Their numbers are as of the sands of the sea," said Don Ernesto, thinking to quote an impressive figure. But Prince Huaca merely appeared puzzled, and the Don hastily remembered he could know nothing of the ocean, and amended himself: "They are in number like the leaves of the forest. They have built mighty cities. There is one beyond your mountains to the east called Buenos Ayres where dwell more than two million souls. They----"

"But can they read and write, can they do this?" cried Prince Huaca, eagerly. "Our ancestors, the ancient Incas of Cusco, kept accounts only by means of quippus, knotted strings. But we of Inca lineage here have that knowledge of reading and writing handed down to us by the three priests of de Arguello. This is knowledge, and power."

"Today, the simplest of the commoners can read and write in that world beyond your mountains," said Mr. Hampton. "Even Pedro and Carlos, my friend's servants, have this knowledge."

Once more Prince Huaca was silent, digesting this. Then he said:

"But has not too much learning made them weak, so that they are like women and cannot fight?"

"On the contrary, Prince, they fight with weapons that slay at great distances, with ships that fly in the air like birds and drop death upon those below. And yet," added Mr. Hampton, "they seek these peoples, to live in peace with each other. No longer is it considered great to make war. Those who set out to conquer find all other peoples banded together against them."

Prince Huaca once more fell into a manner of abstraction, from which the others made no effort to arouse him. Presently, he lifted his head, and there was an expression of resolution on his features.

"Senor," said he, "that is all for the present. These matters that you have told me, however, I shall lay at once before the Council. Do you, therefore, hold yourselves in readiness to appear and be questioned?

Meantime, I shall order your possessions restored to you, on one condition."

He paused, expectantly.

"What is that?" asked Mr. Hampton.

"That these strange devices be explained to me, and that they be not used to cause evil to us."

He lifted aside a heavy cloth of gold from an end of this table, revealing beneath portions of the radio outfit brought by Mr. Hampton.

The others looked at each other. One thought was in every mind. How explain the phenomenon of radio to an idolator to whom it could mean nothing other than witchcraft and wizardry? Then Mr. Hampton had an idea.

"In these South American forests," said he, "particularly in that jungle land beyond the mountains whence came your ancestors, Prince Huaca, the Indian tribesmen have a method of communicating to each other without the use of runners. They place along the bank of a river a hollow log, upon which they tap certain tappings with a hammer. Miles away, with his ear to another hollow log upon the river bank, a man hears that message."

"Of this I have heard something," said Prince Huaca.

"The sound," said Mr. Hampton, "travels along the water. But this device before you is for the purpose of sending sound through the air, as if a man had a voice which could be heard from here to ancient Cusco, thousands of miles distant. This is only one of the many wonders known to the world outside your mountains today."

He stopped, unwilling to venture upon a detailed explanation that could not be understood, fearful that, perhaps, he already had said too much, that Prince Huaca would consider him either a great liar or a great wizard, and would act accordingly.

The prince, however, did not change expression.

"Could you call men from beyond the mountains to Cuso Hurrin?"

"To what place?"

"That is the name of our city."

Mr. Hampton struggled with himself. If he admitted the power that the radio outfit put at his command, doubtless Prince Huaca would take it from him, and their chances of bringing rescuers, if that proved necessary, would vanish. Nevertheless, he was a truthful man.

"Yes," said he, simply. "It could be done."

Prince Huaca was silent.

"And who among you understands this best?"

Once more Mr. Hampton hesitated. Perhaps the prince planned to slay whichever member of the party he considered was the operative.

"I mean you no harm," said Prince Huaca, rightly interpreting his hesitancy. "I would but learn more of this marvel."

"These boys," said Mr. Hampton, indicating Jack, Frank and Bob. "They are familiar with this marvel and even have added to it by little improvements."

"Then," said the prince, "I shall ask them to come to my quarters here and teach me. Perhaps we shall employ your marvel. I would learn about it. It may be useful. I shall keep it here. Meantime, do you go to your apartment while I go to the Council. And hold yourselves in readiness for my summons."

CHAPTER XV--BEFORE THE COUNCIL

The balance of that day was one filled with foreboding. Mr. Hampton and Don Ernesto, an hour or so after their dismissal by Prince Huaca, were summoned by a servant again to his apartments with the understanding that they were to be escorted thence to appear before the Inca's Council. Left to themselves, the four boys chatted together at first about their strange interview; but, as the hours pa.s.sed with no word from the older men, they grew more and more to feel as if some evil impended, and lapsed at length into a gloomy silence.

Bob flung himself on a couch in a doze, Ferdinand stood at a loophole, gazing out upon the great square where the merriment continued unabated.

It would last eight days, Prince Huaca had said. Jack and Frank tried to find oblivion in books among their belongings, but with ill success. As for the two huachos, Pedro and Carlos, they took the matter philosophically, and continued their endless game of cards.

"This is driving me mad," said Jack, at length, tossing aside his book.

"The afternoon is going fast, and it will soon be night. Already the square is in shadow below, and it is too dim to read. Where can they be?

What can have detained them?"

An interruption came in the form of the servants, who had brought their food previously, and who now again entered, cleared the table, and set out food once more. For a moment, the wild idea of attempting to overcome them and make a bolt for Prince Huaca's apartments, in search of his father came to Jack. But he quickly put it aside, for in the outer corridor he glimpsed the armed guards who had accompanied the servants.

"Thank goodness, they brought a light," he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, after the servants had departed, leaving behind, beside the food, a gold vessel filled with oil in which burned a wick that gave a clear, bright flame.

"Well, you fellows that are hungry, fall to. I couldn't eat a bite."

Frank went up to him and put an arm over his shoulders.

"Come on, old man," he said. "I know how you feel. But it is foolish to worry. Your Dad has just been spinning so many fairy tales about the modern world that he has these old boys sitting there with their eyes popping out, and they won't let him go; they want him to tell them some more yarns. He'll be back, all right, presently, and the Inca probably will be coming along with him to see what we look like. 'The Young Wizards, hey?' he'll say. 'Pleased to meet you. Trot out a few tricks for us.' And you want to have a full stomach, then, or how can you perform well? Come on, come on."

And, laughing and jollying, Frank pushed Jack to the table, and in similar fashion rounded up Ferdinand, then tumbled the snoring Bob to the floor, whereat Pedro and Carlos chuckled, and under the spell of his geniality, a measure of confidence and cheer was restored to the group.

As they were in the midst of eating, the key once more grated in the lock and Jack, with an eager cry, sprang toward the door, Ferdinand a close second. Nor were they disappointed, for Mr. Hampton and Don Ernesto were ushered in by the guard.

"Well boys, did you think we were never going to return?" asked Mr.

Hampton, cheerfully. A glance at Jack had revealed to him the worry in his son's face.

A chorus of replies answered.

"Jack would have it that the pair of you were cut up in mince meat to be fed to the Inca," said Frank, after the chorus had died down. "But I told him the Inca was probably feeding out of your hand."

"Not quite that," said Mr. Hampton. "But we are hungry. Let us have a minute's chance to eat a bit, and then we'll tell you what happened."