“What is this?” exclaimed Freddy excitedly. He had knelt down to drink at a pool in the bog, when his eyes were attracted by the sight of a number of human footprints all round the edge of the water, apparently much of the same size.
In a moment every one was by his side, and on seeing the cause of his exclamation, every eye was turned on Aniwee.
The young Queen examined the footprints for several minutes without speaking. Then she looked up, and said gravely:
“Aniwee was right. The feet that made those marks are the feet of a Trauco. The white Cacique has undoubtedly been carried off by one of them.”
“By a baboon!” exclaimed Harry aghast. “Oh, Aniwee, what a terrible idea! Uncle Francis, it must be one of those awful ‘demons of the Andes,’ which I told you had slain Miriam Vane and James Outram long ago, and which our old uncle told us about at the great gold mine of Or.”
“The Traucos are not monkeys,” continued Aniwee in the same grave voice; “they are real people covered all over with hair. They dwell in these forests preying on the wild cattle, horses, and other animals, and have even been known to steal the tame cattle of the Araucanians; but they are not the people that dwell in the Ciudad Encantada. These last are the Los Cesares, who are a white people; but whether they war with the Traucos or are at peace with them Aniwee knows not. Aniwee has spoken.”
“Then you think this is the footstep of a Trauco, Aniwee? Are you sure you are not mistaken?” inquired Sir Francis Vane anxiously. It was terrible to think of Topsie in the power of these wild men of the woods, which could only present themselves to his mind as apes of a large size, possibly the terrible demons of which Harry spoke, and with which those of my readers who have read “The Young Castaways” will be already acquainted.
Before Aniwee could reply, a loud roar sounded across the valley. Crashing rocks and the booming as of a hundred cannon filled the still air with mysterious noises, and high above the turmoil rung out, as it apparently seemed, the clear notes of a bell.
An expression of awe filled the dark eyes of the Warrior Queen, and she averted them from the direction whence the sounds came. Even Sir Francis, Lady Vane, Harry, and Freddy stood dumb and struck with wonder.
“What, in God’s name, is that?” exclaimed the baronet, as he passed his hand across his forehead, upon which the sweat stood in large beads.