CHAPTER XXI—TO GO OR NOT TO GO
Jack laughed with the others, but, sobering, said:
“I’d like to, Frank. But don’t you think it would be rather mean to frighten our friends?”
Mr. Hampton interrupted quickly.
“The thought does you credit, Jack. But there is something else to consider. I really believe Frank’s plan for aweing the Inca and his Council a good one. This is a matter of life and death. If the plan is to succeed it must be capable of thoroughly frightening these people and convincing them of our magical powers. And, as Michac and his escort are the same sort of people on whom our tricks would have to be tried in earnest, it is well to give a dress rehearsal, so to speak, and see what our luck will be.”
“Here they come,” said Frank, looking out the door.
“Very well,” said Mr. Hampton, rapidly. “Pedro, Carlos, when I make mysterious signs and order you to remove your eye and teeth, do you do so as if unwillingly, but under compulsion. If you can grimace and pretend it pains you, so much the better. Ready. Here they are.”
As Michac appeared in the doorway, Mr. Hampton faced Don Ernesto, Pedro and Carlos, who stood shoulder to shoulder. He acted as if the young noble and the half dozen soldiers behind him had not been seen. Waving his hands like a mesmerist, in the faces of the trio, he began reciting a rigmarole of whatever words came into his head.
The three controlled their features with commendable gravity, and, indeed, acted as if in fear of Mr. Hampton. Michac paused in astonishment. The soldiers betrayed mingled alarm and curiosity. As for the jailer, he moaned and cowered against the wall. The boys had all they could do to keep from laughing. Then Mr. Hampton made an especially fierce gesture toward Pedro.
“Hocus pocus, abracadabra, pluck out thine eye,” he commanded, in Spanish.
Pedro grimaced as if in pain, brushed his hand across his right eye and brought it away with the glass eyeball in his fingers. He held it out to Mr. Hampton.
The jailer, whose curiosity got the better of prudence, had withdrawn his hands from his eyes. Now he emitted another piercing shriek and once more cowered down, too stricken to move. The soldiers pushed back against each other, making little sounds of fear. Michac held his ground, but he became pale.
“Pull out thy teeth and palate,” commanded Mr. Hampton, ferociously, making a pass with his hands before Carlos.
Out came the false teeth, with the palate of red gum, looking like the roof of his mouth. He opened his mouth wide, exposing the toothless gums.
It was too much for the jailer. He had had enough. He turned and dashed wildly through the group of soldiers, and down the corridor.
“After him, after him, he’ll turn the fortress topsy turvy,” cried the quick-witted Jack.
Frank, who was nearest the door, was off like a shot. Nobody attempted to halt him. And he was fortunate enough to come upon the jailer within a few yards, for the latter in his blind haste had stumbled and fallen.
The soldiers were on the verge of panic. Michac, too, was shaken, but held his ground, either out of a fascinated curiosity to see what would occur next, or else in the feeling that he must set an example to his men.
“Now, take this knife and scalp thyself,” Mr. Hampton commanded Don Ernesto, extending his pocket knife.
The latter screwed up his face as if in agony, ran the knife blade seemingly around his head, then with a tug lifted off his toupee, revealing his hairless dome.
It was too much. The soldiers fell over each other trying to get away. There were shrieks and cries, as they darted off with tossing torches.
“Quick,” cried Mr. Hampton, seizing Michac’s arm urgently. “Command them to return. ’Tis but a trick.”
But Michac, although he had resolutely held his ground and refused to flee, was helpless. He was so stupefied that he could not move. He could not even speak. He opened his mouth, but no sound came forth.
“Well, I guess they won’t do any harm,” said Mr. Hampton. “Let them go. Jack, get this chap a drink of water from the table.”
Michac accepted the cup gratefully, and put it to his lips, but his hand shook so badly that he spilled most of the contents.
“There, you will feel better,” said Mr. Hampton. “Now, Senor permit me to explain.”
Leading Michac to a couch, he explained as simply as he could how modern surgical science made false teeth and eyes possible, while the toupee was the outgrowth of a demand of fashion. Then he bade the others restore their original appearance, and they complied. In conclusion, Mr. Hampton explained Frank’s idea that they proceed to the Incarial Council, demand Prince Huaca’s release on pain of incurring the white man’s vengeance, and then proceed to demonstrate their “magic.”
“Do you consider it would succeed?” he asked.
Michac, a young man of intelligence and sense, grasped Mr. Hampton’s explanation quickly, and his fear disappeared. He smiled broadly and delightedly.
“Succeed, Senor? You will make Cinto and his priests die of envy. No such miracles can they perform.”
“Yes, but think you we can obtain Prince Huaca’s release?”
“Nay, I cannot say. They will be frightened, yes. Was not I? And I am a man not easily scared. Yet Prince Huaca is bitterly hated by Cinto and the Council. Not willingly will they give him up. I will be frank with you. I would like the attempt made. Yet if you fail, it is death. Have you no other magic greater than these?”
They looked at each other nonplussed. Suddenly Jack’s face brightened.
“The radio outfit, Dad. Surely we can do something with that.”
Mr. Hampton nodded quickly,
“Good, Jack, good. There must be a way to use it effectively.”
Michac, who had not understood the rapid interchange of remarks, looked inquiringly at Mr. Hampton.
“Will you come with us to the battlement, Senor?” Mr. Hampton said, slowly, in Spanish. “Prince Huaca knows of further and greater magic, and left sentries on guard there last night over it.”
“I heard a strange tale from those men,” said Michac. “For, yes, I found them there upon my inspection of the fortress during the night. Willingly will I accompany you.”
Jack interposed.
“But first, Dad, perhaps Michac ought to round up his escort and prevent them from demoralizing the fortress troops with wild tales of what occurred here.”
“Right,” said Mr. Hampton, and turning to the young nobleman, he communicated Jack’s suggestion. The other nodded.
“Await me.”
When he had left, the boys began to laugh over their recent experience, but Mr. Hampton and Don Ernesto were thoughtful. They looked at each other understanding and spoke together, low-voiced. Then Mr. Hampton turned to the lads.
“We’re afraid it can’t be done,” he said. “It was good fun, and all that. But the chances of failure are too great to warrant us in imperiling our lives. It is true, we might go to the Inca as a delegation under a flag of truce, but we have no guarantee its sanctity would be regarded.”
“Oh, Dad, everybody regards the sanctity of a flag of truce.”
Jack’s tone was disappointed.
But Mr. Hampton shook his head.
“I’m afraid the risk is too great.”
“Look here, Dad, I’ve got an idea. You know my ring radio set? I’ve got it with me. We can take that along with us to the audience. Then we’ll tell the Inca that the white man’s god wants to speak to him, clap the ring on his finger, adjust the headphone for him, and, from our station on top of the fortress, order him to release Prince Huaca and punish the conspirators against him. Now don’t say it can’t be done, Dad, for it can, and you know it can. We’ve got plenty of wire, and can run up all the aerial necessary in a trice, stand the Inca on one of those gold flagstones in his palace and give him what he asks for.”
Mr. Hampton laughed.
“Not so bad, Jack, but——”
“Besides, Mr. Hampton,” interposed Frank, “remember we have our pistols—and automatics are something these people aren’t accustomed to. That is another marvel.”
“But we couldn’t take those along under a flag of truce.”
“Why not?” asked Don Ernesto. “They would know nothing about them. The weapons could be tucked away out of sight. And, although to carry them would seem a breach of faith, yet if we would save Prince Huaca, the end justifies the means, it seems to me.”
At that moment Michac returned.
“Ask him about a flag of truce, Dad, whether the Incarial forces would respect it?” suggested Jack.
Mr. Hampton did as proposed. Michac straightened proudly.
“It would be respected,” he said.
“Then, Dad, your major objection of the danger to us is overborne.”
“Yes, I see. But about the pistols, I don’t know.”
Mr. Hampton shook his head. Then he had an inspiration. Taking out his pistol, he held it up for Michac to view.
“Do you know what this is?” he asked.
Michac regarded it curiously. He confessed ignorance. Then, on second thought, he added:
“It is strange. Yet it looks like a tiny gun such as children might make were they expert gunsmiths. Is it a toy?”
“The deadliest known to man,” said Mr. Hampton. And he explained.
“Would we be deprived of these if we went to the Inca’s palace?”
“Nay, I doubt it.”
“Then we can take them,” said Don Ernesto, who had been listening closely. “That is good.”
“But, under a flag of truce——”
“My friend,” said Don Ernesto, “you are quixotic. We risk our lives in a quixotic venture, as it is, if we go to attempt to obtain Prince Huaca’s release. At least let us take advantage of this fortunate circumstance that pistols are unknown here and carry our weapons as protection against treachery. For, though Senor Michac says a flag of truce will be respected, you must remember we are dealing with the High Priest Cinto and his nephew, not with the Inca, and they already have tried to assassinate Prince Huaca and then carried him off captive. Though why,” he added, “he was not assassinated this second time, but merely made prisoner, I cannot see.”
“Perhaps they thought better of it,” said Mr. Hampton. “What think you, Senor?” he added, addressing Michac.
“Nay, I do not know. The plans of this Cinto are beyond my understanding. Yet it may be he repented of having directed assassination and when his spies within the fortress reported failure of the plan, he was glad. For Prince Huaca is beloved of the people, and there might have been an uprising; whereas, if he be but prisoner, men will not so willingly put their lives in danger. An it may be, too,” he added, as an afterthought, “that the man captured by you on the battlement was not sent to slay but to aid in the capture of Prince Huaca. It may be that the story he told of being sent to slay was false, and was told the prince in order to cloak the real design. For the man, as it has been proven, had little to fear. He was released from his fetters by traitors within the fortress, and escaped during the night, probably with those who carried off the prince.”
Mr. Hampton shook his head. “Palace politics are beyond me,” he said. “Evidently this Cinto is a thorough-going scoundrel. But, to return to the matter of whether we go before the Inca with our pistols concealed——”
He was interrupted by the appearance of a soldier at the door, evidently in great haste.
The latter saluted Michac, and the latter gave him permission to speak.
Then Michac turned to the others gravely, and interrupted.
“The Inca has sent a messenger, calling upon me to surrender you to him at once, as you are Incarial prisoners. What shall I do?”