ng, like that of a flamingo, beckoned the two
prisoners forth. Hitherto they had been treated fairly well, having
been supplied with three good meals per day; but no food was now offered
them, and both thought the omission tragically ominous.

With a quick grip of the hand, which each felt might be his farewell to
the other, the two stepped into the blazing sunlight, and, surrounded by
a numerous guard, were led across the square and halted before the
altar, which stood at the foot of the idol. But what a change had taken
place within the last hour. The great square, as well as the streets
leading to it was, with the exception of a small space, packed with
people, as were the roofs of the buildings abutting on the square, yet
the silence was so profound that, to use the hackneyed expression, one
might have heard a pin drop. The small space left vacant consisted of
an area some thirty feet square, bounded on one side by the sacrificial
altar, and on the other by the front row of spectators, squatting on the
ground, these evidently being, from the magnificence of their feather
robes and the splendour of their barbaric ornaments, chiefs, to the
number of about sixty, in the middle of whom sat an Indian who, by the
superlative richness of his garb, the two white men at once decided must
be the paramount chief, or king. The third side of this small open
space was occupied by a front row of fantastically garbed men who
eventually proved to be priests, behind whom stood a dense mass of
ordinary spectators, while the fourth side was bounded by a row of nine
massive posts, or stakes, to which--ominous sight--were securely bound
Inaguy and the remaining eight of Earle's followers.

Arrived at a spot some five paces from the altar, the two white men were
turned with their backs to the altar and the idol, and their faces
toward the long array of chiefs, and then the armed guard stationed
themselves to the right and left of the prisoners, while the silence
hovering over the scene seemed to become more intense than ever.

It was broken by Earle, who turned to Dick and murmured in a low voice:

"That scheme of mine for making a dash at the hut containing our weapons
won't work, Dick. We could never force our way through this crowd. I
must try another stunt."

"All right," murmured Dick in return. "Go ahead. But I'm afraid it's
all up with us. I don't see how--"

"You wait," interrupted Earle, and fell silent again.

M