Finding the place deserted, they wrecked it, tearing up tables and shelves, even wrenching the door from its hinges.
When one member, keener eyed than the others, discovered Curlie’s trail leading away into the hills, the whole band, like a pack of hounds in full cry, went yelling and roaring away after the boy and his donkeys.
What a strange and terrible horde they were. Leaning far forward as they ran they seemed more like a pack of gigantic baboons than men. But woe unto any human being who might fall into their clutches.
As for Curlie Carson, he plodded doggedly on before his burros, picking out the trail leading the way, steadily and surely, toward Johnny’s cave.
* * * * * * * *
On the day that Curlie left the chateau to go in search of Johnny, Doris and Dot started on an expedition all their own. With imagination fired by dreams of the ancient black queen’s treasure, still dreaming of seeing again that monkey with the diamond ring on his wrist, they proposed to visit the ruins of the black emperor’s palace.
“We’ll take Mona,” Dot said. “Now that the revolution has been brought to an end there is no danger.”
Doris thought of the ugly black foe that Dot and Curlie had seen at the top of the cliff after the explosion, and experienced a moment of uneasiness. But so eager was she to begin the search that she was able at once to cast fears aside.
“It will be a race,” she said with a little wild skipping, “a race between the boys and ourselves to see who first discovers treasure.”
“Yes,” laughed Dot, “a race that is likely to end with a draw. Everybody loses.” Despite this dire prophecy, they departed in high spirits and ere twilight came found themselves camping within the shadows of the impressive stone steps that had once led to a palace of such magnificence and grandeur as no other black ruler has known.