It was Frank's voice, and the exclamation was elicited by Frank catching
sight of the figure against the parapet, now struggling to its feet,
knife clutched in hand. Frank had been the first to reach his comrade's
side. He did not pause but, unarmed though he was, sprang forward.
Bob pulled the sack from his head, just in time to see Frank's rush bear
the other to his knees. Then the others were on the scene, soldiers with
torches, Prince Huaca, Jack and the rest. It was all over in a trice.
The man was disarmed and in the hands of two soldiers, each holding him
firmly by an arm. He was a stout rascal, with an evil face.
Prince Huaca looked at him keenly.
"One of the Palace Guard," said he. "I recognize his face and bearing,
even though he is not in uniform."
To his men, he added:
"Take him below." As the prisoner was being led away, the prince turned
to Mr. Hampton and Don Ernesto.
"You see the crisis has come," said he simply. "This is the first time
they have tried assassination."
Then he went to Bob's side, a winning smile on his face.
"I have you to thank for saving my life," he said. "I hope you are not
hurt."
"Not at all, thanks," said Bob, uncomfortably. "As to saving your life,
sir--well, I guess he wouldn't have gotten much chance at you, with all
your soldiers around."
"How tell?" said the prince. "I have soldiers below, too. Yet this
assassin gained the battlements."
Then, temporarily dismissing the matter with a shrug of the shoulders,
he said:
"But, come, let us complete our preparations of the--what do you call it?
Ah, yes. The radio."
Turning, he led the way to where the station was nearing completion.
While the boys resumed their operations, Prince Huaca again looked on
between Don Ernesto and Mr. Hampton, and conversed with them. He seemed
to have thawed to them greatly, and both men gained the impression that
he was a lonely man and welcomed their friendship. To himself, Mr.
Hampton thought that probably the prince was gifted with so much greater
intelligence and vision than those surrounding him, that, indeed, he
must lead a lonely life. And this diagnosis, in after days, he was to
learn was correct. For years, Prince Huaca, of all of Incarial rank, had
stood alone in opposition to the War Party, pointing out the folly of
invasion of the outside world in the belief that it had stood still
since the days of the Incas. Of friends of lesser rank, however, he had
many like the lord of the outer valley, at whose home they had stopped
the first day.
As they stood there, Mr. Hampton was silent, turning these matters over
in his mind, and considering their own and Prince Huaca's predicament.
He was stirred by a real liking for the man, and by a great pity for
him, too. Alone in this isolation, pitted against shrewd-witted men
lusting for his downfall, what chance had he?
"Prince Huaca, I want to be of help; we all want to be of help," said he
suddenly. "Indeed, our very lives depend upon aiding you to overcome
your enemies and defeat their plans. May I ask, therefore, what your own
plans are? It is possible we may, by putting our heads together, find
some additional way of helping you beside merely calling for aid that,
after all, will take weeks to reach us."
"I shall close the fortress, admit only a daily ration of food to the
city from the farms, and notify the Inca and Council that negotiations
with the outside world have been launched."
"Ere that help can arrive, however," objected Mr. Hampton, "many days of
waiting must elapse. Meanwhile, may not the fortress be attacked and
treachery succeed, where tonight's attempt fortunately came to naught?"
Before Prince Huaca could give answer, Jack approached.
"Dad, we'll soon be in a position to broadcast and try to raise the
monastery. It's a good thing we have got the quarter-kilowatt generator,
for the monastery is all of one hundred and fifty miles distant as the
crow flies, and, although we have a ten-inch spark coil, we couldn't be
heard beyond fifty miles with it and the batteries for our source of
energy, unless under freakish conditions. But, what I was going to ask
is, What time is it?"
Mr. Hampton looked at his watch.
"Why, it's eleven o'clock."
"What? As late as that?"
Jack was amazed and keenly disappointed.
"Why, I had no idea we had been working so long. I'm afraid, then, we
won't be able to pick up the monastery tonight. _La Prensa's_ nightly
concert will have been finished, and they'll all be in bed. What tough
luck!"
"Try, anyway, Jack," urged Mr. Hampton, in an anxious tone. "Time is
invaluable to us. Perhaps," he added, hopefully, "Brother Gregorio will
be pottering around and will catch your signal."
Jack shook his head doubtfully.
"The good monks used to be in bed at nine o'clock before we put in the
radio set for them. And they've still got sleepy habits. But we'll see."
He walked to where Bob and Frank were putting the finishing installation
touches to the generator. Some six or eight inches in diameter, it was
firmly planted on its legs, handles projecting on either side.
"All ready, Jack," said Frank. "You take the instrument and Bob and I
will get up steam."
Interested spectators, the other principals, grouped themselves close,
with the torch bearers forming a ring about them. Bob and Frank began
pumping away at the handles.
"Reminds me of making ice cream in the old freezer," said Bob.
Brother Gregorio had been placed in charge of the radio at the
monastery, and it was for him Jack called repeatedly, after tuning to
the monastery's meter wave length, but no answer came back.
"No use, I'm afraid," he said at last, disappointedly. "May as well ease
up, fellows. They're all asleep, as I expected."
"And that's the nearest radio station, too," said Frank. "There isn't
another within our radius."
"Well, we'll have to wait until tomorrow, that's all," added Bob.
The matter was explained to Prince Huaca, who was disappointed greatly,
and wanted the boys to make another attempt to raise the monastery. Jack
complied, but again without success.
"Ah, well," said the prince, resignedly. "It is in the hands of God."
Don Ernesto glanced at him in quick surprise, and the prince rightly
interpreted the look.
"Nay," said he, "I am not as my people in religion, for I have read much
in the Holy Book left by the holy men who came hither centuries ago with
de Arguello. But of that we shall speak, perhaps, some other time. Let
us now decide what shall be done with this radio tonight, and then
return to my apartments."
It was hardly likely that anything untoward would happen to the outfit,
yet sentries were placed on guard from among the awed torch bearers.
Then the party returned below. Instead of dismissing them to their
quarters, along with Pedro and Carlos, Prince Huaca invited Mr. Hampton,
Don Ernesto and the boys to enter his apartments again. When they were
back in the inner room, he ordered the prisoner brought before him.
Escorted by two guards, whom Prince Huaca dismissed to the anteroom
during the examination, the prisoner was brought in. Of the examination
itself, which was brief, and was conducted in the unknown Inca tongue,
the others could make nothing. It appeared to all, however, that the man
was visibly frightened, although he cloaked his fear under a mask of
stoicism. Several times they heard the name of "Cinto" uttered by the
prince. At length, the guards were resummoned and the prisoner led away.
For a time after his departure, Prince Huaca sat silent, elbows planted
on the table, his head in his hands, lost in thought. That it was none
too pleasant could be seen from his expression.
"It was as I thought," he confided at length. "The High Priest, Cinto,
and his rascally nephew despatched this man to assassinate me. Should he
have accomplished his deed, he was to have been given an officer's
command in the Palace Guard. Ah, my poor uncle, what rascals surround
him and prey upon his superstitions and his love of a fading life!
"The fellow says he gained entrance by calling to see an acquaintance
among my troops; and then, in the relaxation of the holiday which
obtained in the guard room, he slipped into the interior of the fortress
and made his way to the battlements, after seeing us go to them. This is
lax discipline that permits of such things, and shall be inquired into
presently.
"And now it is late and you will want to retire. But before you go, I
have something to give you. You see, I trust you utterly. Do you,
therefore, Senor Hampton, open the cabinet behind you, and there you
will find the weapons taken from you on your capture. These I trust you
with, and enjoin you not to make use of except in case of direct
necessity. Yet, after what has happened tonight, my faith in my defences
is shaken. If one man may creep in thus easily, may not others have done
so? I questioned the rascal as to that, but he denied it. Yet I am not
convinced. I, myself, shall take precautions to guard myself tonight,
and you with these weapons will also be safe.
"They are, doubtless, far better weapons than those which we make after
the pattern of the arms brought hither by the Spaniards in the early
days?"
It was more question than statement, and Mr. Hampton nodded.
"They are, indeed, Prince Huaca," said he. "And these small ones, called
pistols, are very deadly and can shoot a great distance. Will you permit
me," he asked suddenly, "to tender you one of them? It can be carried
concealed upon your person, and is better protection than anything; far
better than a dozen trusty men even, provided they be not provided with
modern arms."
He advanced to the prince, carrying an automatic.
"It is simple to operate," said he, "and will discharge a half dozen
shots in succession without pause to reload."
Briefly he explained the use of the weapon, and Prince Huaca accepted
with thanks what he might have taken without a by-your-leave. He tucked
it away, within his tunic and under his broad golden girdle.
They then took their leave and were led by the jailer once more to their
room, where they found Pedro and Carlos contentedly snoring away.
"In the morning we shall radio," said the prince, on their departure.
The others agreed.
But----