“Yes.”
“Then it is about time for us to meet with them in quantity. There are a few here and there, but not enough as yet to indicate that we have reached the region where the Ayulis placed obstructions. Another matter to consider is that a white rock hereabouts, although the timber is sparse, would not be so readily seen as the pile of alabaster on the river bank. And again, it must be remembered that the Ayulis did not use a compass in determining the course of their journeys; they judged such a direction to be north, and another south, by the relative bearing of the sun. Therefore, although Huayno said to go north from the river, yet his ‘north’ might have been northeast or northwest.”
“What then do you propose to do, sir?”
“I believe it would be wise to spread out. You, Hope-Jones and Harvey, walk over to the right until you are within easy calling distance of one another, and Ferguson and I will do the same on the left. We will then move forward in a fan-shape and cover the country closely, watching out for a white rock and for fallen trees that seem to have been felled systematically. Everybody move slowly,” he added. “About like this,” and he took several paces, to give them an example.
Fifteen minutes later not one was in sight of the other, and then they commenced the slow forward journey, “beating the country,” one might say, not for animals or birds, but for signs that a century before had marked for the aborigines of Peru the place where great treasure lay buried.
Harvey, between the captain and Hope-Jones, could hear the swish of the latter’s walking-stick as he cut the plants through which he moved, but not a sound came from his left. Occasionally a little animal darted from a decayed log; or, with a whir, a bird, startled from the undergrowth, would fly ahead, slanting upwards. But he saw nothing else. The trees were not much nearer together than in an orchard. Of course they were large of trunk and branch, and the shade was almost continual. Here and there one had fallen, but the boy saw no signs of a number having been felled by man. After fifteen minutes had passed he heard Hope-Jones call: “Anything in sight, Harvey?”
“Nothing.” Then he repeated the question, turning to the left.
“Not a sight that is cheering, my boy,” was the captain’s answer.
The Peruvian’s voice was quite indistinct, and Harvey, believing he had borne too far to the right, altered his direction somewhat. Then time commenced to hang heavy, and the minutes dragged like hours as he moved on, but ahead he saw an interminable succession of giant trees, interspersed here and there with immense heliotrope bushes, but never a rock of prominence or a number of trees felled as if to offer a bar to progress. Finally there came a call that set his blood tingling.
“Come on, Harvey, and bring Hope-Jones with you!” shouted the captain.