it a good thing you suggested the making the wagon?"

John smiled without saying anything.

The boys eyed him sharply, and finally Harry said: "That is what you
suggested the new wagon for, was it not?"

John nodded an assent.

"Did the Professor say anything to you about bringing it along?"

"He did say it might be taken if you thought so."

"Didn't he suggest that we should do so?"

"No; he said the matter was left entirely to your judgment, and that I
should not say anything about it, unless you proposed that course."

"Well, I am thinking we shall have a pretty good load for one team with
what we get out of the place," said George.

"It will make a good load, but we can add to it the lightest parts of
the stock we have at the Cataract."

Before reaching the mouth of the cavern, a messenger hurried over from
the Cataract with the information that two runners had arrived from the
Professor and from Blakely, and they drove back as quickly as possible,
and reached there to learn that another had just arrived from Blakely.

The two runners first to arrive conveyed the information stated in the
previous chapter, but the last carried the additional news that there
had been a fight between Blakely and the tribes, and that he was slowly
moving back to the Cataract, but there was no occasion for alarm.

The latter part of the note read as follows: "Do not be alarmed and
continue your work, and if the matter should be at all serious I will
advise you by runner in ample time, and shall in any event send another
in the next four hours."

John called in Muro and said:

"The forces with Blakely are having a fight with the tribes. I want you
to take fifty men, and also twenty-five guns, and assist Blakely and his
warriors, and keep me informed of the progress of events. Tell him that
by day after to-morrow we shall be on our way. In the meantime you
should draw them this way, as we do not want them to go back. For that
purpose keep up the show of retreating, and hold them until day after
to-morrow."

Within an hour the column was ready and moved toward the scene with
celerity, equipped with the new guns, and an ample supply of ammunition,
together with the new arrows which had been made.

CHAPTER IV

THE SURRENDER OF THE KURABUS

It was late that afternoon before John and the boys again drove over to
the hill, and lost no time in entering the cave. The first care was to
bring to the steps at the entra