"I would certainly like to know how it happens that you are living alone in this forest," Jake replied.
"Then I will begin in regular story-book style, for when it is ended I intend to make a proposition. My name is Byron Cummings, and the last home I had previous to the building of this shanty, was in Baltimore, Maryland. Two years ago—it may have been longer, for one does not keep a very strict record of time in this country—I visited Merida on a pleasure trip, and while there heard the story of the Silver City."
"Is that the name of a town, or do you mean that the precious metal is so plentiful there?" Teddy interrupted.
"I refer to a city built by the Chan Santa Cruz Indians which has received this name because the ornamentation of the houses is of silver, and so profuse as to give it the appearance, at a distance, of being a collection of silver buildings. Don't laugh until you hear the whole story," he added, as a smile of incredulity passed over Jake's face.
"Any one in Merida, and, in fact the English histories, will tell you that this wonderful city is in the vast tract of marshy land situated between here and Merida, known as the Black Swamp. It is a fact that no white man has ever seen it, since the only approach is across the swamp on the south side, and the way so closely guarded that a person must have special sources of information in order to get through the labyrinth of narrow water courses on the banks of which are sentinels ready to salute the visitor with a shower of poisoned arrows.
"It cannot be reached from the east because of the rocks, a few samples of which you probably saw on the sea coast. As you doubtless know, the Indians hereabout have never been conquered by the whites, and the interior is as much an unknown land as it was at the time of the conquest.
"Certain of the Chan Santa Cruz Indians visit Merida at certain seasons of the year, where they sell, or rather, exchange for goods, gold dust and massive golden ornaments, valuing the yellow treasure so lightly, and bringing such quantities that there can be no doubt they have access to an enormous deposit. Silver they use as we do iron, and I myself have seen one of these visitors wearing thick beaten bands of it as a protection to his legs, probably because of the thorns."
"If they come into the towns I should think some venturesome fellow would follow, to learn the secret of the city in the swamp," Jake suggested, and it could plainly be seen that he was growing decidedly interested.
"That has often been tried; but, so far as I can learn, no one ever succeeded. Twice I tracked three villainous looking old fellows to the very edge of the marsh, and both times they disappeared so silently and completely as to make it seem as if the earth had opened and swallowed them. Then, learning of the many who had failed in the same attempt, I formed a plan which must give me the victory, although it has required much time."
"What is it?" Jake asked breathlessly.