“I believe you are right,” said Onrai, “for we are happy now and any greater knowledge might make us discontented, giving us a desire to reach out and learn more, thus making us restless. I can now realize how this can be.”
They were still following the smooth-floored corridor and throughout its entire length it had kept up that uniform width and height. The angle formed by the meeting of the floor and walls was sharp and perfectly cut as could be, and the beautiful arched roof showed wonderful skill in chiseling. They all walked along, after this conversation, each one engrossed in his own thoughts, when Onrai, who was in the lead, stopped, and stooping, picked up a peculiar-shaped spear; the handle was short and made of the backbone of some kind of fish; the head was long and narrow and made of a very flinty stone; this head was set into the handle, a slot being cut into the latter for this purpose; a cement was used to fasten this head firmly into the handle, it also being bound to it by thongs in much the same manner as are all spearheads of the African tribe. Examining it more closely, stains were seen on the head and handle, and the handle was notched in several places. The spear might have been left there a day before or a century before; it was in a perfect state of preservation, but the substance of which it was made was very nigh indestructible, so it might have laid there for ages.
“This passage has never been used since that spear was left here,” said Mr. Bruce.
“Why do you think so?” asked Mr. Graham.
“Because,” answered Mr. Bruce, “if it had been the spear would undoubtedly have been picked up, as it is more than likely that these are not so easily made as to be thrown away or left without being picked up.”
“If that be so,” said Mr. Graham, “it tells nothing that we may want to know. We are only interested in the live portion of this race, if there be any of them yet extant, and we want some clew that will lead us to them.”
“Well, I can say this much,” said Mr. Bruce, “that we will find them ahead of us if we find any at all.”
“Another indefinite declaration,” said Mr. Graham, “tell us how you know this, Mr. Bruce?”
“Why this spearhead was lying, turned in that direction in which we are going and when it was dropped, it was but natural that its loser was moving in the same direction, for in falling it would naturally fall that way.”
“There is considerable in that argument,” said Harry, “and I agree with you, Mr. Bruce, that whoever dropped it was the last person through here and was going in the direction in which we are now moving.”