This news stirred all into activity. The column went forward with the utmost caution, although it was dark, and the wagon had to be guided along with great care.
The movement proceeded until nine o'clock, and during the night march Muro had arranged a constant line of communication with John, through his runners. A festival was in progress, and the two victims were plainly seen by John when he and Muro went through the grass and inspected the village.
The inaction of the whites had entirely disarmed the Tuolos. Indeed, as afterwards learned, they began to think that fear prevented an attack on their village, and no sentinels were posted to warn them of any approaching foe.
While waiting for the return of John and Muro, Ralph and Tom also wandered around the section surrounding the camp. They were in a valley, on both sides of which were ridges running north and south. The moon came out before ten o'clock, and they remembered some of the scenes about them. They had been brought from the south through this identical valley when they were captured by the Tuolos.
They were on the hillside, not five hundred feet from their camp, and were about to descend the hill, when Ralph started back, and grasped Tom's arm.
"What is that dark object directly ahead?"
The dark object was an opening into the hill, but as it was by the side of a projecting rock, it had the appearance of an object. They looked at each other for a moment in silence.
"I wonder if this is another cave, or the one John spoke about?" asked Tom.
"No, that is on the east side of the village. We are below the village. Do you think we had better make an investigation?"