rge tree across it,
they sit there among the flowers chewing coca, in default of food and
drink, and meditating among themselves the cause of a mysterious roar,
which has been heard nightly in their wake ever since they left the
banks of the Meta. Jaguar it is not, nor monkey: it is unlike any sound
they know; and why should it follow them? However, they are in the land
of wonders; and, moreover, the gold-train is far more important than any
noise.

At last, up from beneath there was a sharp crack and a loud cry. The
crack was neither the snapping of a branch, nor the tapping of a
woodpecker; the cry was neither the scream of the parrot, nor the howl
of the monkey,--

"That was a whip's crack," said Yeo, "and a woman's wail. They are close
here, lads!"

"A woman's? Do they drive women in their gangs?" asked Amyas.

"Why not, the brutes? There they are, sir. Did you see their basnets
glitter?"

"Men!" said Amyas in a low voice, "I trust you all not to shoot till I
do. Then give them one arrow, out swords, and at them! Pass the word
along."

Up they came, slowly, and all hearts beat loud at their coming.

First, about twenty soldiers, only one-half of whom were on foot; the
other half being borne, incredible as it may seem, each in a chair on
the back of a single Indian, while those who marched had consigned their
heavier armor and their arquebuses into the hands of attendant slaves,
who were each pricked on at will by the pikes of the soldier behind
them.

"The men are made to let their ordnance out of their hands."

"Oh, sir, an Indian will pray to an arquebus not to shoot him; be sure
their artillery is safe enough," said Yeo.

"Look at the proud villains," whispered another, "to make dumb beasts of
human creatures like that!"

"Ten shot," counted the businesslike Amyas, "and ten pikes."

Last of this troop came some inferior officer, also in his chair, who,
as he went slowly up the hill, with his face turned toward the gang
which followed, drew every other second the cigar from his lips, to
inspirit them with those ejaculations which earned for the Spaniards of
the sixteenth century the uncharitable imputation of being the most
abominable swearers of all Europeans.

"The blasphemous dog!" said Yeo, fumbling at his bowstring, as if he
longed to send an arrow through him. But Amyas had hardly laid his
finger on the impatient veteran's arm, when another procession followed,
which made them forget all el