Dick concluded to ask the king for what he wanted, and he accordingly did so, telling him that it would add to their advantage in routing the Hezzians when the attack was made.
“There is naught in the city that would serve for such a purpose, unless it be in the sacred cave.”
“Where is that?” asked Dick.
“On the hillside, at the south of the city.”
“Will you allow me to go there and see if I can find what I want?”
“Wait,” said the king; “let me tell you about the sacred cave. The mouth of it is sealed, and has been for many, many years. It was decreed by a former king that no person of the Naztec nation should ever break the seal and enter it. It contains all the articles required for smelting copper, silver, gold and other metals. At that time working in metals was one of the principal industries of the place, since it was then that the houses in the city were built.
“You will observe that they are all built of stone and metal. The metal, of course, had to be cast to be wrought into its proper shape. And so it went on, till the houses were all done, and the city of the Naztecs completed. Then it was that the king issued the edict that all the smelting appurtenances should be placed in the cave and its entrance sealed.”
“That’s quite an interesting story, I assure you,” remarked Dick. “Then, if what you say is true, the very things we need are in the cave.”
“Yes, but we dare not open it.”
“None of the Naztec nation dare do it, you mean.”