Cliff, hiding in the tunnel stairway, heard the last speech and his hands clenched. Nicky was a captive!
He could not see and dared not show himself to get nearer: he must stay as he was and trust to Bill, masquerading as the Inca, to solve this really unexpected problem. They had gone over everything so carefully! There had not been a single point, possibility or chance that they had not covered—except this one!
They had instructed Nicky: they had made their own plans. But that Nicky should be brought to the Inca had not occurred to them.
How would Bill handle it?
If Nicky were brought in would he recognize Bill, or cause suspicion in the soldier’s mind by his look?
And Cliff could not see! He must hide.
“You are a good soldier,” Bill spoke as nearly as he could in the tones of the Inca. “I shall not forget your zeal. Let the servant of Chasca be set before me.”
There was an order, a commotion, and Nicky stood before him. How had he been captured? Then were the two older companions also captives? How could Bill discover the facts?
“Was he alone caught?” asked Bill, as the Inca.
“Oh light of the day, yes.”