e Poyor brought up the rear.

At the outer door he hesitated an instant, much as if to persuade
himself that it was absolutely necessary to flee from this city to enter
which he had spent so many days in making preparations, and then,
throwing it open, he led the way into the deserted streets.

"Our safest plan is to go straight across, rather than try to circle
around the outskirts where we may meet with sentinels," he said,
motioning for Poyor to lead the way. "At present no one suspects that we
are here, consequently the guard will not be particularly on the alert."

"Do as you think best," Neal replied, and then, falling back by the side
of Teddy, he whispered:

"If it hadn't been for me you wouldn't have gotten into this scrape; in
case anything happens try not to believe it was my fault."

"There is no possible chance that you can be to blame," Teddy replied
warmly. "Any one would have accepted the invitation to go yachting, and
this last part of the cruise is only the result of an accident with
which you had nothing to do."

Jake did not open his mouth; he acted as if Cummings had done him a
personal injury in proposing such a trip, and the fact that they were
obliged to leave without making any effort to carry away the vast amount
of treasure which he knew to be in the city unguarded, aroused his anger
in a most unreasonable degree.

Poyor took the lead and conducted the party directly past the enormous
temple with its ornamentation of silver which shone in the pale rays of
the moon until the entire structure appeared to be a solid mass of the
precious metal, and the marvelous sight was too much for Jake, who,
coming to a sudden halt, said doggedly:

"It may be all right for you boys with rich fathers to turn your backs
on so much wealth; but I'm goin' to have some part of this treasure, or
give the Indians a fair chance to kill me."

CHAPTER XVI.

DISCOVERED.

Cummings was bringing up the rear during this march across the city, and
when Jake halted he naturally thought it was in obedience to some signal
made by Poyor, therefore he remained silent until hearing Neal say
imploringly:

"Go on, Jake. Don't stop now when we have a chance of getting away in
safety, for what is gold in comparison with life?"

"Have you halted with any idea that it may be possible to carry anything
off with us?" Cummings asked, speaking in a whisper, and Jake replied in
the same cautious tone:

"That's the siz