“Enough! Away with them to the magic chamber, and let them witness the dance of death.”
With these words she swept gracefully into the house, and the Hezzians, as we shall now call the natives, seized the prisoners and led them from the spot.
None of the party, save Prof. Easy, could understand any other language than their own, and they were all very curious as to what was going to be done with them.
“What did she say when you spoke to her, professor?” asked Leo.
“She has sentenced us to be shut up in a place called the magic chamber, where there is now a captive already, and witness the dance of death. What will follow I am not prepared to say. That beautiful but hard-hearted creature is the queen of this strange country, and what she says seems to be law.”
“She don’t look as though she would have us killed,” observed Haypole. “I seen her castin’ sheep’s-eyes at Dick while we was a-standin’ there. Ther only thing that’ll save us is for him ter make love to her.”
“I’d do that willingly enough, if I thought it would save our lives,” said Dick.
Leo and the Yankee laughed in spite of their situation.
It struck them that Dick would be glad to pay his attentions to the beautiful queen, even if it would not benefit them.
But there was no time for further conversation now. The Hezzians had halted at what appeared to be the extreme end of the cave.