They looked at each other.
"The volcano," said Jack. "Remember, I saw it smoking."
Michac nodded, a troubled look on his face.
"The mountain speaks," he said. "It was somewhat on that account, Prince
Huaca, that I came to visit you, for from my valley I had seen it
smoking."
"Look here," said Mr. Hampton, jumping to his feet, "this is dangerous.
Has it ever erupted?" he asked Michac.
"Never in our history," said the latter. "Yet, although it has smoked
slightly at times, never has it smoked as it is doing now. From the
battlement I could see a dense and growing column of smoke."
"Let us go and look."
Prince Huaca, too, looked grave. He acquiesced in Mr. Hampton's
suggestion, and at once led the way to the battlement. Although the
truncated top of the volcano could not be seen, being cut off from view
by the flank of the mountain against which the Acropolis was built, yet
the column of smoke rising above it could be seen plainly. It was black
and greasy in appearance, and there was even a faint suggestion of flame
at the base.
"This is alarming," said Don Ernesto gravely. "My advice is to leave
here at once, if we would gain the outer valley."
Prince Huaca was silent for a space.
"And is the city really threatened?"
"Prince," said Don Ernesto, "there are other volcanoes in these
mountains. I have had experience of them. I believe the danger is great.
There may not be an earthquake of serious proportions, but that slight
tremor which we felt is alarming. I fear there will be greater shocks
and that the mountain will erupt."
"There is no escape from Cusco Hurrin except by the Tunnel Way," said
the prince. "This earthquake of which you speak? What is it like?"
"It is a shaking of the earth which would close the Tunnel Way," said
Don Ernesto. "And the eruption is an outpouring of hot mud and stones
from the mountain, which would ruin the city and slay all in it."
"Then," said Prince Huaca, "we must abandon the fortress and flee to the
outer valley. And those in the city must be warned."
"But what if the earthquake do not come?" asked Michac. "You will have
lost the fortress and your power."
"The people must be saved," said Prince Huaca. "Come."
With a last look at the column of smoke, he started to go below. Frank,
however, pulled Jack and Bob aside.
"Better radio the monastery while we have the chance," said he. "And
tell them what's happened. Then we can dismount the set and take it
along for emergencies."
Mr. Hampton, who overheard, nodded.
"But hurry," he said.
Hurry the boys did. Brother Gregorio at the monastery was easily
reached. The conversation was brief. Then the set was dismantled, and
the three boys hurried below with the parts. Throughout the fortress all
was bustle and hurry. Men were hastening through the corridors on
various missions. They made their way to the prince's apartment, where
they were met by Michac, who told them their friends had gone on to
their own room. There they found the others hastily collecting their
belongings. Each assumed part of the load, while the balance, including
tents, was given bearers sent to their help by the prince.
Then they made their way to the main guard room, from there to the outer
courtyard behind its great walls, and thence to the Tunnel Way, opening
in the side of the mountain.
"It would be a fine idea," grumbled Bob, "if after all our adventures we
got in the middle of this tunnel and an earthquake came along and shook
it down on us."
Nevertheless, nothing of the sort occurred, and they reached the outer
valley in safety, piloted by Michac. He took them to his home.
Toward the end of the day they were joined there by Prince Huaca, with
the main body of troops from the fortress. These encamped in the grounds
about Michac's home.
"I sent a messenger to the Inca," the prince explained, "telling him of
the danger threatening Cusco Hurrin and advising him to order the
populace to flee through the Tunnel Way. I told him I was abandoning the
fortress, and leaving the tunnel open. The messenger returned with word
that the Inca, who had recovered from his attack of faintness, deemed me
a rebel and refused to be entrapped. I despatched the messenger again
with stronger representations, but again he returned with an even
stronger and more contemptuous refusal. All day I have waited, with the
gates of the fortress open, but no move has been made.
"My poor people," he groaned, "my poor city."
Abruptly he left them.
"But, Dad," said Jack, "think of it. A whole city in danger of
destruction merely because a ruler is stubborn. Can't we do something?
Can't we persuade them to flee? And such a city, too. The Enchanted City
of the Caesars! Here we go and find it, and are about to give it to the
world, and now it may be wiped out. But the people. Oh, this is
horrible."
Even as he spoke, the ground shook beneath his feet, for they had walked
down to the public highroad, and from the distant mountain sounded a
heavy rumbling and roaring. They were fully twenty miles removed, a
range of foothills intervened and they were safe from a volcanic
eruption, for the configuration of the land as such, Don Ernesto had
pointed out, that the lava flow would be away from them and directly
into the doomed city. The crash and the tremor were succeeded by a
sultriness that was almost unbearable. Then the ever-thickening cloud
overhanging the mountain seemed to their straining eyes to spread out
into a gigantic mushroom that blotted out the whole sky in the east.
Flames began to shoot high above the mountain top, illuminating the
under side of that sable pall.
There was another and stronger earth tremor, almost throwing them from
their feet. The flames shot higher.
"Now," said Don Ernesto, in an awed voice, "The Enchanted City is no
more. The lava is flowing over it now."