red arrow rather than one of the ordinary kind," Teddy said.

"That could only result from sheer carelessness. The point of a poisoned
weapon is covered with a reddish brown substance which cannot be
mistaken, and, for greater security, the feathers used for the tip are
invariably green. A Central American Indian never takes a green shafted
arrow, nor a spear on which is painted a band of the same color, when he
goes out to procure food."

"Then if we happen to meet these fellows who are hunting for us, we are
likely to come out second best even though they have only bows with
which to shoot," Jake suggested grimly, and, evading a direct answer,
Cummings replied:

"We will hope that we shan't get near enough to let any such thing as
that trouble us."

Then the conversation gradually ceased. Neal and Teddy, after learning
that Cummings intended to remain on watch until Poyor returned, lay down
together, where for at least the hundredth time they discussed the
chances of reaching home within a reasonable number of days, and,
hopeful though both tried to appear, neither could bring himself to set
any definite day for the end of the dangerous journey which might never
be finished.

"There is so much certain," Neal said decidedly after a short pause,
"once we get out of this section of the country we'll go to the nearest
sea-port and wait there for a steamer or a vessel, without ever setting
our feet outside the town. There'll be no more delays if we get clear of
this scrape."

"You can count me in on that, and now I'm going to sleep. It seems as if
a week had passed since we started from the last cavern."

Jake had already taken advantage of the opportunity to indulge in
slumber, and soon Cummings was the only one on the alert; anxiety kept
his eyes very wide open, for he believed Poyor should have returned some
time before.

CHAPTER XXI.

A LONG HALT.

When the morning dawned Poyor was still absent and Cummings' anxiety had
become intense.

It hardly seemed possible the Indian would go very far from the cave of
his own free will, and that he had been captured by the enemy appeared
more than probable.

Neither Jake nor the boys awakened until after the sun had risen, and,
as a matter of course, the first inquiry of each was concerning the man
upon whom all depended so entirely.

Before Cummings could give words to the fears which had haunted him
during the night the entrance to the cave was darkene