aw very little of each other,
for the latter was engaged during practically the whole of each day in
conference with either the chief priest or the authorities who governed
the town, and sometimes with both together; while at night Stukely
manifested an unmistakable desire to be left alone to puzzle out some
problem that seemed to be worrying him.

But at length, when they had been exactly a week in the town, Phil
returned late in the evening to the quarters which he and Dick had been
jointly occupying in the temple; and it was at once apparent to the
younger of the two that the troubles and difficulties with which Stukely
had been wrestling were at an end, for he was once more his former self,
frank, genial, self-reliant, and in exuberant spirits.

"It is all right at last, Dick," he exclaimed, flinging himself down
upon a couch; "I have straightened everything out; and to-morrow we
start for the Sacred Island, with labourers, tools, provisions, and in
short, everything that we require. And, as things have turned out, it
was very fortunate for us that we fell into the hands of these people;
for otherwise we should never have succeeded in penetrating to the
hiding-place of the treasure and getting safely away again. Now,
however, we are going there with their full knowledge and approval--they
have even insisted on furnishing us with all the help we may require--
consequently we shall have nothing to fear from those who are guarding
the island, and who, had we approached as strangers, would certainly
have destroyed us."

"In that case," said Dick, "I suppose we ought to congratulate ourselves
upon what has happened, although I do not hesitate to acknowledge now
that I thought it was all up with us when we were hauled up before the
priests, last week, and decorated with flowers. But what has happened
to bring about this fortunate turn in our affairs? Don't you think that
you may as well explain the whole affair to me?"

"Certainly I will," agreed Stukely, "indeed it is necessary that you
should understand the situation, in order that you may know how to
comport yourself in the presence of the people.

"First of all, then, this town is called Huancane. It was a place of
very considerable importance in the time of the Incas, being, in fact,
one of the places to which the Inca was in the habit of resorting during
the period of the extreme summer heat, both on account of its proximity
to the lake, and also because o