"It is fate," said he. "We shall sleep."

"Fear not," Don Ernesto rea.s.sured him. "I shall look after you."

As they moved along the corridor, it became apparent from the direction that their destination was, as Don Ernesto had surmised, Prince Huaca's apartment. But what could he want with them? Had anything untoward occurred in the Inca's Council? Were his enemies on the move against him? These questions occurred to all.

"It is unexpected, his sending for us," Mr. Hampton said. "He gave no indication, when dismissing us the last time, that he would send for us again so soon."

The jailer bore a torch which flickered and smoked as they pa.s.sed loopholes at turns in the corridor, making the silent pa.s.sageways, with their walls of stone, where none but themselves moved, seem even more ghastly and far from civilization than otherwise would have been the case. There was little conversation. Unlike their first trip over this route, the boys kept silent. What they had been told of the Council meeting had sobered their spirits. From these stone hallways within that vast fortress, standing in the heart of the Enchanted City, for so they still termed Cusco Hurrin among themselves, it was a far cry to New York or even Santiago. To more than one it seemed as if the possibility that they would ever return to the outside world was in the gravest doubt.

Instead of taking them through the anteroom into Prince Huaca's apartment, the guide turned aside before the guards were reached, pressed a stone in the wall of the corridor, which swung back, revealing the entrance to a narrow secret pa.s.sage and then stepped in and beckoned the others rea.s.suringly to follow. Once all had entered, he swung the stone back into place. Then he led the way a short distance to another stone which he also swung aside. They stepped through the doorway and found themselves in the prince's inner chamber, alone.

With a nod, the guide bade them be seated, and disappeared the way he had come. The stone swung back into place.

Before they had time for conjecture, Prince Huaca appeared from the antechamber.

"Ah, Senores," said he, as they rose at this entrance, "I have sent for you. Be seated."

He sat down by the table and was silent for a s.p.a.ce, staring keenly from one to the other.

"Tonight," said he suddenly, "affairs have come to a crisis in Cusco Hurrin. The Inca is old. The High Priest, Cinto, who has his ear, fears me. He has made capital of my appearance today with you before the Council. To the Inca who, like an old man, clings with love to life and finds it sweeter as it grows to an end, he has said that I am in league with devils and that you are evil spirits, and not men from the outside world, who spoke as you did in order to aid my plans to seize the supreme power and slay the Inca.

"Tomorrow I am to be asked again to bring you before the Council, and then we shall be seized and slain.

"But palaces have ears, and all that was said by this evil man, Cinto, has reached me. And I would forestall him."

He paused. Mr. Hampton looked puzzled.

"But, Prince Huaca," he objected, "must you not obey the Inca's command and appear with us, or place yourself in rebellion?"

"It is so," agreed the prince. "Nor do I wish to rebel. Yet if I am slain, my people will be destroyed, for there will be only foolish men to guide them."

"Then you will rebel?"

"The fortress troops are loyal to me," said Prince Huaca. "And I hold the Tunnel Way, without which food from the country district cannot reach the city. That is why they would seize me by stratagem and treachery. Open attack upon me here by the palace guard which Cinto's nephew Guascar commands would be folly. Long have my enemies plotted to compa.s.s my downfall, but insidious though they were, the Inca had not reached that stage of suspicion of me that he could be asked to cause my death.

"Now, however," he added, "Cinto has taken my championship of the truth of what reports you bring from the outside world to work upon the Inca's credulous mind.

"No, I do not wish to rebel, and cause bloodshed among my people. I do not desire power for itself alone, but in order that I may help my people, not enslave them."

He was silent, thinking, and Mr. Hampton and the others respected his silence.

"Too long," he resumed, "have we lived cut off from the world. These marvels of which you have told me, these advantages shared by common men, I want them for my people."

"And if you are killed," said Mr. Hampton, "what will happen?"

"Ruin," said the prince. He arose. "But it shall not be," he added, with energy. "I shall not be slain. And, on the contrary, I shall lead my people out of ignorance, aye, out from the ignorance of bondage." He strode up and down. "And you," he added, halting suddenly before the others, "you shall help me."

"Willingly, Prince Huaca," said Mr. Hampton. "But in what way?"

"You say the peoples surrounding us are peace-loving?"

"Yes."

"If their leaders knew of Cusco Hurrin, they would not seek to conquer and enslave us as did the Conquerors to ancient Cusco and Inca Atahualpa?"

Mr. Hampton looked at Don Ernesto and bowed.

"Prince Huaca," said the latter, "I have not told you. But I am the brother-in-law of the President of Chile. That is the nation within whose boundaries lies Cusco Hurrin. The President is the ruler. He rules not by force of arms, not by divine right, but because the people have selected him to administer affairs of State for them. I can a.s.sure you that no conquest of Cusco Hurrin will be attempted, if you seek in peace to break from your isolation."

"But, Father," objected Ferdinand, quickly, "it would take a long time to send a message to Uncle, and meanwhile there would be civil war here."

Ferdinand spoke so rapidly that Prince Huaca was unable to follow him.

"What says the young man?" he asked.

Don Ernesto repeated. Prince Huaca pointed to the radio outfit, still on his table.

"But, cannot the voice-through-the-air carry your message?"

So it was something like this which Prince Huaca had in mind? This, then, was the reason for his interest in the subject of radio? This was why he had asked them not to speak of radio before the Council? Mr.

Hampton looked dubious.

"It cannot carry the message far enough," said he, slowly.

Over Prince Huaca's face came a shadow of despair. He sat down suddenly, leaned his elbows on the table, and buried his face in his hands. He was like a man famished for water, to whose lips a cup had been held, only to be withdrawn as he was about to drink. Jack felt immensely sorry. He wanted to be of help. At the same time, his brain was revolving an idea.

"But, Father," he began.

Ere he could complete his sentence, however, Prince Huaca interrupted.

He jumped to his feet and stood with his hands firmly gripping the table.

"I will not let myself be overcome," he said. "If the voice-through-the-air cannot carry the message, then you, Senor de Avilar, must go to your brother-in-law and tell him what I desire, that he shall come in peace but with an army sufficient to overawe Cinto.

"Ah," he cried, "I can trust you? They will not come to loot Cusco Hurrin and slay my people, but to make friends and teach them?"

"Only so will they come," said Don Ernesto, deeply moved at the other's sincerity and earnestness. "I promise."

"It will be long," said Prince Huaca. "But," he added, resolutely, "I shall defend the fortress and, if there be bloodshed, yet will it be less than if Cinto had his way."

As he ceased speaking, Jack found his opportunity.

"But, Prince Huaca," he said excitedly, "the voice-through-the-air can be made to carry your message."

"What?"

Prince Huaca whirled to face this new speaker. It was a habit of his to stare steadily and searchingly into the eyes of whomever he conversed with.

"Yes, it can be done," said Jack.