Since the details consisted only in agreeing upon what amount of luggage should be taken with them, but little time was spent in discussion, and as the boys retired on this night it was with the knowledge that when the sun rose again they would start for the Silver City which every traveler in Yucatan admitted had an existence.

CHAPTER XI.

THE JOURNEY.

The boys and Jake had no preparations to make for the journey. The goods they had brought from the coast was their only property, and could readily be carried as during the tramp to this point.

On the contrary, c.u.mmings found many things which it was necessary should be done before departure. Whether successful in the attempt to reach the marvelous city or not, he could hardly hope to return to the hut where all his preparations had been made, and there was much to be done.

After ascertaining that his guests were willing to accompany him he made arrangements for their comfort during the night, and then, excusing himself on the plea of work, was seen no more until the time for departure had come.

Of the three castaways Neal was the only one who had any misgivings regarding the proposed detour. It seemed to him as if he was in some way abandoning his father by embarking in this enterprise, although how anything more could be done to aid those who had taken refuge in the boats was beyond his comprehension.

This much was clear in his mind, however: He had agreed to aid in the attempt, and when c.u.mmings awakened the little party he arose quickly, firmly resolved to do everything in his power to reach the city which, as yet, he was not thoroughly convinced existed.

It was still dark when the final preparations for the journey were begun, and c.u.mmings' impatience was so great that the sun had but just shown himself above the horizon when the morning meal had been eaten, and their host was urging them to make haste.

"We must be at the rendezvous not later than this afternoon in order to avoid the chance of pa.s.sing Poyor on the way," he said impatiently, "therefore the sooner we start the better."

"We are ready," Jake replied, and, after setting the fowls loose, c.u.mmings led the way through the underbrush, finding a path where the others would not have believed any existed.

As if to prevent the boys from losing their interest in the search for the Silver City, their guide continued to add to the story he had already told, and during the long march but little else was talked about.

Jake who was as excited as a man well could be, for he had no doubt but that they could find large quant.i.ties of treasure where there would be no difficulties in the matter of carrying it away, plied c.u.mmings with questions whenever the conversation lagged, and Neal had but little opportunity to speculate upon the fate of his father.

Not until late in the night, when to Neal and Teddy it seemed as if they could go no further, did the party halt, and during the last hour of the march the utmost silence was maintained.

"It is absolutely necessary to avoid detection in case any of the Indians may be in the vicinity," c.u.mmings had said, "and we must move as stealthily as if we knew positively they were waiting for us."

From that time no one spoke. The guide crept on at a slow pace, his every movement copied by the remainder of the party, and on arriving at the rendezvous he motioned the others to lie down, whispering as they gathered around him:

"We are near the canoe, and it only remains to watch for Poyor, who should be here by morning. I'll stand guard while the others sleep."

There was no thought of putting up anything in the shape of a shelter, and the boys stretched themselves on the ground in the midst of a thick clump of vegetation, Teddy whispering to Neal:

"If it is necessary to take such precautions as these before we are near the city, we may expect pretty rough times before arriving at the place."

"That's a fact, and I begin to wish we hadn't started. There is no positive a.s.surance we shall get through in time to take the next steamer for home, and even c.u.mmings himself can't say whether any of us will ever come back."

"Do you want to give up the job now?"

"I'd be ashamed to do that, for it would look as if we were afraid; but I'm sorry we agreed to the plan;" and Teddy replied heartily:

"So am I."

Jake had nothing to say; but whether his silence was caused by a desire to obey c.u.mmings' instructions to avoid making a noise, or by misgivings as to the wisdom of the venture, neither of the boys could guess.

Despite the anxiety of the younger members of the party they soon fell asleep, owing to excessive fatigue, and did not arouse to consciousness until Jake whispered as he shook them vigorously:

"It's time to start. The Indian has come, an' ain't half as bad a lookin' man as I counted on seeing."

The boys sprang to their feet, finding themselves face to face with a tall, half naked figure which, in the dim light, looked more like a statue of bronze than a human being. He stood scrutinizing them keenly for fully a minute, and then, as if satisfied with their appearance, turned away to walk swiftly along the edge of the swamp until lost to view in the darkness.

"Poyor has just arrived," c.u.mmings said by way of explanation; "and according to his belief it is well for us to start at once."

"Where has he gone?" Teddy asked.

"After the canoe; it is but a short distance from here."

"Don't you dare to cook breakfast?"

"Certainly not; the light of a fire would be worse, for us, than the report of a gun. Until we arrive at the Silver City it will be a case of eating cold food, and perhaps we may be obliged to wait even longer than that before having anything very elaborate in the way of a meal."

"If we are only certain of coming back again where it is possible to do as we please, I won't grumble about what we are obliged to eat," Neal said, with a nervous laugh.

"Don't borrow trouble," c.u.mmings replied quickly; but both the boys noticed that he no longer spoke in the same confident tone as before the journey was begun. "We shall surely get through without difficulty."

The conversation was interrupted by the approach of Poyor, who came down the water-way in the canoe more like a ghost than a creature of flesh and blood, and Jake, whose head had been turned in the other direction, could not suppress a slight exclamation of surprise as the Indian suddenly appeared by his side.

The canoe which had been brought thus silently was simply the trunk of a tree hollowed out, and about fifteen feet in length. It yet rested lightly on the water when the entire party and all the traps were on board, and the boys noticed with no slight degree of astonishment, that one stroke of the paddle was sufficient to send it sharply in either direction.

"Now you have a chance to finish your nap," c.u.mmings whispered as, kneeling aft, he began to a.s.sist Poyor in propelling the craft.

"Don't you want us to help?" Teddy asked.

"No, there will be nothing you can do until we enter the Silver City."

Tired though the boys were it was literally impossible to close their eyes in slumber now, and they remained very wide awake watching the coming of a new day.

When the sun had risen they could get some slight idea of the country through which they were pa.s.sing; but of what might be a few yards beyond no one could say.

The sh.o.r.es of this particular water-way through the swamp were flat, covered with reeds and long gra.s.s, with here and there dense tangles of trees and vines, and the channel was so narrow that only at rare intervals could the paddles be used. The Indian and the white man pushed the boat from one bend to another, oftentimes finding it difficult to pa.s.s the sharp curves, and the boys confidently expected this labor would be continued during the entire day, therefore their surprise was great when, about an hour after sunrise, the little craft was forced under a clump of overhanging foliage as if the journey was at an end.

"What is the matter?" Neal asked in a whisper, and c.u.mmings replied in the same cautious tone:

"Nothing. It would be in the highest degree dangerous to travel very far now that it is light."

"How long are we to stay here?"

"Until the darkness comes again."

"Wouldn't it be safe to go on the bank where we can stretch our legs?"

"We must not leave the boat. It will be only for a few hours, and then we shall have plenty of exercise paddling."