Soncco accompanied the two to the very end of the narrow passage between the seething volcanoes.
“Before you go,” he said with a merry gleam in his bright eyes, “I want to tell you something. That eclipse of the sun came at a very opportune moment for all of us.”
“What!” both Ted and Stanley exclaimed in chagrin. “You knew about it?”
“Of course, and so did all the other amautas, for do we not know everything? Eclipses have occurred before, and we have records of them, but the Inca and the people are not told about such things. If we told them everything we know we should lose our standing among them.”
“Then why did you help us and seem so reluctant about doing it?” Ted asked.
“Because, from my knowledge of you, gained during your previous visit here, and also this one, I felt that you could be trusted. But I wanted to test you in every way so as to be sure. You acted just as I expected you would. Quizquiz was getting intolerable, and something had to be done. You offered the solution.”
“And now, Soncco,” Stanley said smiling, “let me tell you something. You made a great show of destroying all that treasure. We should have believed that you did actually have it thrown into a seething volcano were it not for the fact that early this morning we saw a number of soldiers go up the slope and disappear into the very place they later carried the gold to. The carriers simply handed it over the rim, carefully, to those others waiting to receive it. To-morrow, no doubt, they will bring it out again.”
Soncco appeared confused and panic-stricken.
“Do not fear,” Stanley hastened to assure him. “You said you trusted us. Continue to do so. Your secret is safe with us. We shall never return under any circumstances, and we shall never tell any one else, either. I swear it!”
“And I,” added Ted.