Almost before he knew it he was so near the ground that there was not time for further efforts to determine the cause of the trouble. He barely succeeded in straightening out the diving craft before it struck the earth with a thud. They cavorted along over a rock-strewn field beside the river, bounding and threatening to upset, and when the ship finally came to a stop the two were too dazed for speech. For, in their wild sprint over the uneven ground the propeller had struck a boulder and one of the blades was shattered.
They were indeed in an unenviable predicament. Not for all of the gold of the Incas should they have entered the Hidden Valley voluntarily. Yet fate had decreed that they should find themselves there, and under the most distressing circumstances. The ship was as useless as if it had been broken into bits, and there was no other means of escape.
They were as good as in the hands of Quizquiz, their enemy, who did not know the meaning of the words fair play or mercy. He would come to them soon with his hordes of followers, overwhelm them, and gloat over them as a beast of prey might do over its victim, exulting over their helplessness and over his own unlimited power. At last his day had arrived when he could repay them for the humiliation they had caused him during the athletic contests, where they had made such a superior showing against him and the other picked youths of the nation. And their escape—that rankled, too.
As they thought of these things they grew pale and shuddered. There could be but one outcome of the misadventure, and they knew only too well what that end should be.
CHAPTER VII
IN THE TIGER’S LAIR
With each passing minute the helplessness of their position was more firmly driven home upon Ted and Stanley. They expected momentarily to be attacked by the horde of Indians, many of whom they had seen from above. But not a human being came within range of their vision.
“What fools we were,” Ted observed dejectedly, “not to let well enough alone. We would come back, and now——”
“That is only human nature, I guess. Never satisfied and always eager to take a chance. Well, we are like the pitcher that went to the well once too often.”
“Why don’t they come after us, I wonder!”
“Superstitious, perhaps. But they will be here in due time. Count on that!”