of fighting them. Then, suddenly, that story of Vilcamapata's
came into my head, and I hinted that there was more than met the eye in
the fact of our presence in this country. I suddenly assumed a high and
mighty demeanour, reproached them for their blindness and inability to
recognise the friends who stood before them, and finally, moved by some
impulse for which I am wholly unable to account, rapped out certain
words that flashed into my mind, of which I knew not the meaning, but
which I somehow seemed to understand were words of power. And they
were, too; for, from what has since transpired, I understand that they
were the mysterious words the utterance of which by a complete stranger
was to be the sign to the Peruvians that Manco Capac, the first of the
Incas, had returned to earth to free them from the hated Spanish yoke!

"Now, of course, I know that the utterance of those magic words at what
was, for us, a most critical moment, was a very extraordinary, almost a
miraculous thing; but I have had very little time to dwell upon it thus
far; for when I saw the astonishing result of the words which I had
spoken, my mind was at once exercised with the task of turning the
utterance to the best possible account. But here I was met by a great
difficulty, for while the attitude of the priests became instantly
changed from relentless hostility to submissiveness so complete as to be
absolutely servile, I was without the knowledge which would have
supplied the key to the situation, and I therefore had to conduct myself
with the utmost circumspection lest I should say or do something which
would nullify the good effect which I had unwittingly produced. By
adopting an attitude of extreme reticence, however, and allowing the
others to do all the talking, I gradually attained to the knowledge that
I am regarded as the reincarnated Manco; and now our copper-coloured
friends are all on fire with eagerness for me to initiate the operations
which shall eventuate in the expulsion of the Spaniard from this
wonderful country. Many of them are desirous that I shall at once
assume the style and title of Inca, make Huancane my headquarters, and
send forth a summons to all the Peruvians scattered throughout the
country to come in and enrol themselves under my standard--I understand
that, even now, there remain enough of them to sweep the Spaniards into
the sea, if properly led. And Dick, my lad, the idea is not without
attractiveness