“No! No!” cried the man, groveling and pushing a soldier in front of his own person.
“Bring him back!” snapped the Inca and the soldiers pushed Pizzara forward.
“Pull on that little stick,” Bill suggested. The safety catch prevented the Inca from discharging the weapon but the effect of Bill’s words upon Pizzara was amusing; he fell on the ground and tried to crawl behind Challcuchima.
“Nothing happens and yet the man who can save your corn is a worm, crawling about, just because of our magic,” said Bill. He took the weapon which the Inca was very glad to relinquish.
“Get up!” Bill said curtly. Pizzara stood cringing.
“Say to the Inca—is what you told Huamachaco the truth?” The muzzle slipped upward along Pizzara’s buttons and he knew there was an expert hand releasing the safety catch.
“No! No!” he shouted. “Inca, it was not so.”
“Take him away!” the Inca signed to the soldiers and for the time the danger was past.
No one interfered as, leaving the table, the five friends went quickly to their retreat in the Star Temple.
“We must change our plans,” Bill said, swiftly when they were alone. “We must get together all our things that we will need—the things Cliff suggested bringing may come in handy after all!—and I will bring comrade Cliff’s pa tonight and we will make a try for that ledge where our rope is hidden.”