I did not care to glance up even for an instant; they were
pressing me closer and closer; but I knew that they had begun to
hurl their spears at me from the water, and that the game was up.
Another struck me on the leg; soon they were falling thick about
me.
Calling to Harry to follow, I turned and ran for the opening in
the rock to which I had led Desiree. In an instant he had joined
me.
By that time scores of the Incas had scrambled out of the water
onto the ledge and started toward us, and as many more came
rushing through the crevice, finding their way no longer
contested.
Harry carried three spears. I had four. We sprang up a lane
encircling the rock to the rear and at its top found Desiree.
A projecting bit of rock gave us some protection from the spears
that were being hurled at us from below, but they came
uncomfortably close, and black forms began to appear in the lane
through which we had come.
Harry shouted something which I didn't hear, and, taking Desiree
in his arms, sprang from the rock to another ledge some ten feet
below.
I followed. At the bottom he stumbled and fell, but I helped him
to his feet and then turned barely in time to beat back three or
four of the Incas who had tumbled down almost on our very heads.
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