In a few minutes he returned, reporting no better success than
before. On that side, he said, the wall of the cavern was quite
close. There was no sign anywhere of water; but to the left there
were several narrow lanes leading at angles whose sides were
nearly parallel to each other, and some distance to the right
there was a broad and clear passage sloping downward directly
away from the cavern.
"Is the passage straight?" I asked, struck with a sudden idea.
"Could you see far within?"
"A hundred feet or so," was the answer. "Why? Shall we follow
it? Can you walk?"
"I think so," I answered. "At any rate, I must find some water
soon or quit the game. But that isn't why I asked. Perhaps it
explains the sudden disappearance of the Incas. They knew they
couldn't follow us through that narrow crevice; what if they have
made for the passage?"
Harry grumbled that we had enough trouble without trying to
borrow more.
We decided to wait a little longer before starting out from the
cavern; Harry helped me to my feet to give them a trial, and
though I was able to stand it was only by a tremendous effort and
exertion of the will.
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