It still sloped upward, but at a very slight angle, and we
had little difficulty in making our way. Another half-hour and it
narrowed down again to a mere lane.
We were proceeding at a fairly rapid gait, keeping our eyes
strained ahead, when there appeared an opening in the right wall
at a distance of a hundred feet or so. Not having seen or heard
anything to recommend caution, we advanced without slackening our
pace until we had reached it.
I said aloud to Harry, "Probably a cross-passage," and then
jerked him back quickly against the opposite wall as I saw the
real nature of the opening.
It led to a small room, with a low ceiling and rough walls, dark
as the passage in which we stood, for it contained no light.
We could see its interior dimly, but well enough to discover the
form of an Inca standing just within the doorway. His back was
toward us, and he appeared to be fastening something to the
ceiling with strips of hide.
It was evident that we had not been seen, and I started to move
on, grasping Harry's arm. It was then that I became aware of the
fact that the wall leading away in front of us--that is, the one
on the right--was marked as far as the eye could reach with a
succession of similar openings.
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