A word or two of whispering, and he nodded
to show that he understood. We crouched together flat against the
wall.
My thought had come just in time, for scarcely another minute had
passed when there suddenly appeared in the doorway the form of an
Inca. He moved a step inside, and I saw that there was another
behind him. I had not counted on two of them! In the arms of each
was a great copper vessel, evidently very heavy, for their effort
was apparent as they stooped to place the vessels on the ground
just within the doorway.
As they straightened up and saw that the room before them was
empty, their faces filled with surprise. At the same moment a
movement came from the woman in the corner; the two men glanced
at them with a start of wonder; and as I had foreseen, they ran
across and bent over the prostrate forms.
The next instant they, too, were prone on the floor, with Harry
and me on top of them. They did not succumb without a struggle,
and the one I had chosen proved nearly too much for me.
The great muscles of his chest and legs strained under me with a
power that made me doubtful for a moment of the outcome; but the
Incas themselves had taught us how to conquer a man when you
attack him from behind, and I grasped his throat with all the
strength there was in my fingers.
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