Indeed less brave and hardy spirits would have been appalled with the force of the situation in its hopelessness.
But they kept on resolutely, and this very energy proved their salvation.
By what was a fortunate chance they succeeded very quickly in striking a passage which led out of the labyrinth.
But this was on the opposite side of the mountain, and as they came out into the sunlight they were for a moment dazzled.
But as this cleared away they saw that they were upon a shelf of rock in the mouth of a cavern which overlooked a great stretch of country.
Far below was a long and narrow valley between the Andean peaks, and through this ran a stream.
Harding gazed upon the scene a moment and exclaimed:
“Well, Pomp, we may thank our lucky stars that we are out of the woods at last!”
“You’s right dar, Marse Harding,” declared the darky.
“But it will now become necessary to find out the location of the air-ship.”