“Nevertheless, I’d like to get my hands on William Pike,” replied Leslie. “I’d choke that money out of him before he could spend much of it, I’ll stake anything on that.”
“We are pretty sure to get Pike some day,” put in Nick Carter.
“If you say so, Carter, I’m sure of it,” said Jefferson Arnold. “But, say, what is that thing you have in your hand, that scared them all and sent them flying back just when they seemed to be on top.”
“Here it is,” answered Nick, opening his hand. “It seems to have the most marvelous power I ever heard of in a small, ordinary-looking thing like this.”
“I don’t think it is very ordinary looking,” remarked Chick. “But it certainly has the ‘punch.’ It is the ear of some idol, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It is the thing that fell from the hand of that snake charmer. I never supposed it would serve us such a good turn as it has now.”
“When the priests and wise men of Bolongu find that the ear of the great Mashonu is in the hands of a white man, it will most likely mean the death of all those.”
It was Jai Singh speaking, and he swept his arm in all-embracing fashion to include all the men who were racing away in a cloud of dust a mile or more away.
“The ear of the idol Mashonu, eh?” observed Nick Carter musingly. “I have heard of that idol. I did not know I held such a precious relic. Well, I’ll take care of it. Now, everybody! Right about face! Our cue is to get back to the lower country before we have any more trouble.”
“Thank Heaven I am taking my boy back with me!” said Jefferson Arnold, in a voice that trembled with gratitude.