"What's the matter," called Seantum to a hoary boatman.
"They say the Gadiantons are destroyed," he answered.
Ahah was on her feet swaying in the boat, "Who did it," she cried as if her life hung on the answer.
"A Lamanite by the name of Hagoth. One of his men stopped off here. He's over in the square there now." Without waiting for the boat to stop, Ahah bounded quickly to the oozy mud of the shore and was up the bank in a moment. Running swiftly she reached the excited crowd and made her way through it. In the center she recognized one of Hagoth's lieutenants.
"You are going back to Antionum?" she queried breathlessly.
On his answer in the affirmative, she begged eagerly. "Then you will let us take you back in our boat?" She tossed him a golden seon. As if he were in his chief's secret he gladly accepted the invitation, and Seantum was doomed to hear his rival's praises lauded on the return trip which had begun so auspiciously for him.
While the warrior recited the story of the expedition in his crude way, Ahah hung on every word.
"When we started we had to hew our way through the underbrush; higher up it was easier climbing but the tropical downpour descended in bucketfuls and drenched us to the skin. Under foot it was so slimy we slipped back a step for every two we advanced. The guides lost the trail and we slunk under the trees while they found the path.
"Later we spent the night in a cave. The fire went out as it was as much a man's life was worth to descend into the barranca for wood. The roof leaked and we woke up with our heads in a pool of water.
"The next morning the ravines were raging torrents. Advancing under these difficulties we finally descried above the tree tops the misty expanse of Lake Ticaca. Like all high waters it is sullen, cold and deep. There on the shores we found the log hut of an old Nephite whose only daughter had been carried away by the Gadiantons. He had lived there as a hermit vowing vengeance ever since. He offered to act as guide and lent us his two boats. It took many trips across the lake to get all of our party over and when we reached the bluffs on the other side Hagoth's plans became apparent.