The men were now on one side of the street and the women on the other, and in this order they stood when twenty persons of both sexes, carrying on a broad flower-covered platform a repulsive looking figure apparently composed of gold, marched between the ranks and halted.
Instantly every one sank down with bowed head as if in adoration, and the invisible music, accompanied by the peals of sweet-toned bells, filled the air with melody.
"We were frightened too soon," Cummings said with a sigh of relief. "It is a festival of some sort, and this happens to be the place where it is to be welcomed to the city. It would be most unfortunate if Poyor should take it into his head to come back just at this time."
"He could see the crowd before getting very near and would know enough to stay at a distance," Neal replied. "I'd like to know what that statue represents."
The golden figure was certainly very odd. Its body was in shape not unlike a panther's; but the tail was short, and stuck straight in the air. The head might have been formed to represent a monkey, although the ears were very long, and the whole was covered with carving to represent scales.
"How much do you suppose it weighs?" Teddy asked of Jake, and the latter, who had also been trying to compute its value, replied:
"Not an ounce less than a hundred pounds. What a prize that would be if we could carry it away!"
"There are many of the same kind in the city." Cummings added, "and we should be able to get off with some before a week is ended."
"Then that is the plan you have formed?" Neal said interrogatively.
"Exactly. Poyor is to examine all the statues near by, and decide upon such as we can pull down some night, after which it will only be a question of reaching our boat. I have no fear of being able to get through the swamp providing we have a start of five or six hours."