"That," returned the professor, "is not certain. Some say yes, some say no."
"The question is," murmured Jud, "what do the Mayas say?"
"If we pass the Trail in safety," went on Professor Ditson, "we still may expect trouble from Dawson after we get into the Peruvian highlands. He has great influence with a band of Indian outlaws who call themselves the Miranhas, or Killers, and may persuade them to ambush us in order to secure the map."
"I sure am lookin' forward to this pleasure-trip of ours," confided Jud to Will.
During the first day along the trail, Will, who was next to Pinto, tried to pass away the time by learning a few words of Mundurucu. His first lessons in that language, however, were somewhat discouraging, since the dialects of the South American Indians contain perhaps more syllables to a word than any other language on earth.
"Pinto," he began, "I'll point to things, and you tell me what they are in Indian, and keep on saying it over and over until I learn it."
"All right," agreed the Mundurucu.
"Professor Pinto," went on Will solemnly, pointing to his hand, "what's that?"
"In-tee-ti-pix-tee-e-toke-kee-kee-tay-gaw," clattered Pinto, in a breath.
"Hey, hold up there," said Will. "Try it in low."