BENEATH THE MASK
Jack stared into the countenance of a clean shaven man who might have
been thirty-five years of age. The resemblance to photographs of Burton
Monahan was marked.
“You are Albert Monahan’s missing brother!” he accused.
Ino made no attempt to replace the mask. He smiled. “So you know my
name, lad. How did you learn it?”
“From your brother. He financed our expedition here in search of you.”
“My brother sent a party here? Well, if that isn’t one for the book!”
“You are Burton Monahan?” Jack pressed him. “You don’t deny it?”
“Deny it? Why should I? I’d have revealed myself before this, if I had
known you were searching for me. I thought you were only here for gold.”
“Nothing could be further from our purpose. Your brother assigned us to
find you and bring you back to civilization. Why do you smile?”
“Because this is the first I knew that I was considered lost. Evidently,
my brother never received the message I sent.”
“Message? What message?”
“One that Captain Carter was supposed to deliver. He was to inform my
brother that I was safe here. I take it he pulled a worse double-cross
than I thought.”
“Captain Carter told your brother that you had been missing many months.
He induced him to finance this rescue party. Carter supposedly was to
help us, but instead he made everything as difficult as possible.”
“That I can believe,” Burton Monahan rejoined. “Captain Carter is a
scoundrel. He has only one objective—to gain the Inca treasure.”
“Is that what brought him back here?”
“It is,” Burton Monahan said shortly. “I’ll tell you more about it
later. Take me to your friends now. We must see what can be done before
dawn. I’ve not exaggerated in saying that your party is in very grave
danger.”
The man readjusted the animal mask, though not before Jack had obtained
another clear view of his clean-cut face. He was tall and exceedingly
thin, but with hard, firm muscles.
“It is dangerous to remain here in the plaza,” Burton said uneasily.
“Captain Carter must not see you.”
“Where is he?” Jack asked, leading the way toward the stone house where
his friends waited.
“Asleep in the palace. He’s been in a half-drunken stupor ever since the
natives brought him to this sacred city.”
“I take it the natives have inducted him into all of their secrets?”
“Not yet. Captain Carter expects to play his trump card tomorrow after
he discredits Panomuna. Then, unless I can prevent it, I fear he’ll try
to make off with the treasure.”
“Is the treasure hidden here in the sacred city?” Jack questioned.
“No,” Burton Monahan answered. “Had it been stored in the plaza,
adventurers long ago would have carted it away. The Incas hid their gold
and priceless ornaments in a diabolically clever manner. So far, even
Captain Carter hasn’t been able to get his hands on it.”
“This treasure isn’t at the bottom of the lake?”
“I may reveal the secret to you in good time,” Mr. Monahan responded.
“First though, I must satisfy myself that you really were sent here by
my brother. Tell me how you came to know Captain Carter.”
Starting at the beginning, Jack swiftly related the manner in which the
expedition had been organized. Mr. Monahan seemed satisfied with the
account.
“I’ll tell you about myself,” he offered, “but the story must wait until
I’ve talked to your leader.”
Inside the stone dwelling, Mr. Monahan made himself known to the other
Scouts and Mr. Livingston.
“Our mission has been accomplished,” the latter said weakly, grasping
the explorer’s hand. “It appears, though, that I may never get back to
report to your brother.”
“You will return,” Burton Monahan assured him. “This fever from which
you suffer, will pass. It is Captain Carter who presents the hazard.”
“Tell us how you met him,” Mr. Livingston urged. “And why have you
remained here with the natives?”
“I’ve spent much of my life in Peru,” Mr. Monahan began his strange
story. “Always the tale of this lost Inca city fascinated me. A few
archaeologists shared my belief that it existed, while others were
convinced that the ancient parchment was born of some writer’s
imagination.
“At any rate, I set off to find the locality. One misadventure after
another beset my party—no need to bore you with the details, because you
are familiar with the difficulties which befall. We encountered hostile
Indians, and my natives deserted.
“I was taken prisoner. I do not mean that I was mistreated, but I was
not permitted to leave the village. It was during this period of
captivity that I gained an inkling that I was near an ancient Inca
temple and the sacred city which the Indians desired to keep from the
view of white men.”
“What made you pose as a medicine man?” Ken questioned.
“I’m coming to that. Because of my knowledge of first aid and medicine,
it was easy to impress the natives with my skill. Gradually, I won their
friendship, and adopted the medicine man role as an added protection for
myself. As my knowledge of the language improved, I began to pick up
additional scraps of information about the hidden city and a treasure
said to lie inside a mountain.”
“By this time, I was reluctant to return to civilization, although I no
longer was held prisoner. Village life was not too unpleasant. I
lingered on, hoping to be permitted to view the sacred city. Even after
I learned how entrance was gained, I dared not attempt it lest I be
killed.”
“And what of Captain Carter?” questioned Willie.
“He came into camp one night with a few natives. Captain Carter at that
time, was supplying a bandit leader with ammunition, but they had missed
contact. He stumbled upon the village quite by accident.”
“But we thought you and the captain were together in your search for the
city!” exclaimed Ken in astonishment.
“Captain Carter is an adventurer without scruples. I wish I never had
set eyes on him! Unfortunately, I trusted him at first.”
“Didn’t the natives make trouble for him?” Jack inquired.
“They did not. Captain Carter on his first visit here was well supplied
with guns. He used the ammunition to good advantage, impressing the
natives, and disposing of the few who challenged his authority. Had it
not been for the ruler, Panomuna, he would have been in full control
here.”
“Carter, I take it, learned of the treasure?” remarked Mr. Livingston.
He had pulled himself to a sitting position, his back to the stone wall.
“Yes, he was as familiar as I with the old legend. Stupidly, I accepted
him as a friend and imparted my knowledge of the sacred city and the
treasure. It was my hope to obtain the priceless archaeological objects
and get them safely back to government officials. Captain Carter
pretended to fall in with my plan. All the while, he was plotting to
seize the treasure for himself.”
“Why didn’t you return to Cuya and ask assistance?” Mr. Livingston
asked.
“To have done so would have started a stampede here,” Mr. Monahan
explained. “Captain Carter and I both knew that special equipment would
be required to lift the treasure from its resting place. So it was
agreed that while I remained in the village, Captain Carter would return
to my brother to obtain the necessary funds and equipment. We both felt
that if the natives gained any inkling of what we were about, no white
man ever again would be permitted near the sacred city.”
“Carter did see your brother,” Mr. Livingston informed him. “But he told
an entirely different story.”
“I realize that now,” Mr. Monahan said bitterly. “Captain Carter is so
certain of his position that he boasted to me not six hours ago that he
intends to seize all the treasure and then turn the natives against me.”
“Surely he couldn’t do that!” exclaimed Warwick. “You’re in good with
’em yourself!”
“They regard Carter as a God. He has impressed them with his use of
gunpowder. Why, he’s challenged Panomuna to a fire making ceremony at
dawn. Carter has boasted that no matter how quickly the old Inca ruler
can produce fire, he’ll do it quicker. You know, of course, who will win
that competition.”
“Carter,” Jack muttered.
“He’s sure of himself or he wouldn’t have risked a challenge. I don’t
know his scheme, but he’ll use some modern trick which will impress the
natives. Then, after Panomuna is discredited, it’s my guess Carter will
have no opposition in bringing up the treasure. He’s brought in
everything he’ll need for the job.”
“You haven’t told us where the treasure lies,” Ken reminded him.
Mr. Monahan did not answer the question. Instead, he said: “Carter aims
to take care of me when the time comes. As yet, I doubt that he knows of
the presence of your party here. You must get away tonight while there
is time.”
“You’ll go with us?” Ken asked.
“No, I must remain. Too much is at stake to abandon everything to that
scoundrel Carter!”
“We’re sticking,” Jack announced stoutly. “Maybe we can get a hold of
that ammunition.”
“Not a chance. Carter has it with him in the palace where he is
sleeping.”
“Can’t we jump him before dawn?”
“That would be too dangerous. He has a guard of natives and they honor
him as a God. As for yourselves, if you were seen here, you probably
would be put to death.”
“You’ll not leave with us?” Ken asked once more.
“I can’t. It’s my duty to try to save those treasures from a vandal like
Carter!”
“Then I guess we’ll stick with you,” Jack said, speaking for the others.
“How about it, Mr. Livingston?”
“It’s the only thing to do,” he replied quietly.
“You can’t remain here,” Mr. Monahan informed them.
“Isn’t there a safer place where we can hide?” Ken demanded.
“I could guide you through the mountain to the hidden lake,” Mr. Monahan
offered after a long hesitation.
“Through the mountain?” Jack repeated, struck by the phrase.
“Come, we must hurry!” Mr. Monahan said impatiently, without explaining
what he meant. “There is no time to lose. Very soon the natives will
start coming here for the dawn ceremony.”
Stooping, he lifted Mr. Livingston onto his powerful back, disregarding
the Scout leader’s insistence that he was able to walk.
Unseen, the group moved through the dead city, silently passing the
massive statue near the ruined temple. Mr. Monahan led the way up an
uneven rocky path. Burdened by Mr. Livingston’s weight, he climbed
slowly.
Presently however, they came to a low passageway through the rocks.
Here, the Scout leader had to crawl for a considerable distance. But at
length, they all came out into the starlight again.
“You are now inside the mountain, so to speak,” Mr. Monahan told the
Scouts. “I brought you to this hidden spot because I know you are to be
trusted with the secret.”
Below, only dimly visible in the fading starlight, lay a circular lake,
smaller than the one into which Jack and War had dived earlier that day.
With a sweep of his hand, Mr. Monahan indicated the dark waters.
“There lies the fabulous treasure of the Incas. When Peru was conquered
by the Spaniards, the Indians hurled great quantities of gold into this
lake.”
“Are there two treasure pools?” asked Jack, puzzled. “This one lying
inside the mountain, and the other at the site of the ruined city?”
“No,” Mr. Monahan explained, “the other lake contains little of value.
An underground stream connects the two. Occasionally, a bit of treasure
washes down into the lower lake. Also, a few trinkets have been offered
there as sacrifice to the Sun God.”
“I suppose that explains how we happened to find a single earring.”
“Quite true, Jack. You might dive fifty times again and find nothing.
Here, it is a different story. The lake bottom literally is covered with
valuable relics of a past civilization.”
“The lake is very deep?” asked Willie.
“On the contrary, it is quite shallow. By daylight one can see bottom.”
“In that case, can’t the treasure be brought up?” demanded Ken eagerly.
“Impossible.”
“Because the natives keep guard, you mean?” asked War.
“The pool has its guardians—placed here ages ago by Inca priests.”
“Guardians?” Jack repeated in wonder. “What sort of guardians?”
“Cannibal fish. The waters are infested with them. I assure you they are
very old and very vicious. Should anyone fall or dive into the pool, his
life would be forfeit.”
Silently the Scouts and Mr. Livingston gazed into the dark waters.
Guarded by cannibal fish! Even the thought of it gave them the shivers.
“A few of the smaller, practically harmless fish have found their way to
the pool below,” Mr. Monahan went on. “But the guardians of this lake
are a different proposition.”
“Is there no way the treasure can be brought to the surface?” inquired
Jack reflectively.
“Oh, there are many ways, but all involve preparation and equipment.
That was why Captain Carter went to my brother. It was our plan to work
quietly and to bring the treasure up before news leaked out what we were
about. As you have informed me, Captain Carter worked only for himself.”
“You’re convinced he intends to seize the gold?” Mr. Livingston
questioned. He had seated himself with his back to a large rock.
“I am. As for myself, I have no desire to profit, but only to turn over
the priceless relics to the government.”
“Discovery of this city with its temple and remarkable treasure should
make you famous,” the Scout leader remarked.
“Indeed, that would be my reward. I’ve risked my life to remain here. I
feel that Captain Carter is not entitled to any of the gold. He is a
cheap adventurer, unscrupulous and grasping!”
From directly behind the speaker, there came an unexpected scraping of
rock.
Startled by the sound, Mr. Monahan and the Scouts turned quickly. A
shadowy figure had emerged from the tunnel exit.
Before anyone could recover from surprise, Captain Carter himself
confronted the group. With indolent ease, he covered them with his
automatic. In the half-light, his smile was triumphant and evil.
“Avast there, Monahan!” he growled. “Have a care how you blacken my good
name! Now stand against yon rock, all of you! And reach for the stars!”