Secrets of the Andes Read online

  CHAPTER XV

  Attacked by Indians

  Bob shook his head to rid himself of the sickening saliva. He wipedhis face with his handkerchief, with his hands, with anything he couldfind. At the same time he stepped out of reach of the treacherousanimal.

  When he had completed rubbing, he turned sheepishly to Joe.

  "Guess I learned my lesson," he said quietly. "But who'd 'a' thoughtit of the brutes?"

  "Isn't wise to do anything unless you know what you're doing," Joereminded him.

  "I've a notion to go over and wring its neck!" snorted Bob, glancingat the llama, which had resumed its grazing as if nothing hadhappened.

  "Better not," Joe warned him. "You might not be able to do it. And theIndian that owns them might come out."

  "Let him come!" Bob was confident that he could manage both the llamaand the Indian.

  He decided to let the matter drop, however, and continue the walkabout the plateau.

  As the youths hiked farther, they passed the grassy region and came toa higher slope that was dotted with occasional patches of cacti, thornbushes, and stunted trees. The Australian eucalyptus, a small tree,was abundant.

  "Can't raise anything here," remarked Bob. "Almost as bad as it is onthe Sahara Desert."

  The chums made a wide circuit about Cuzco, coming in sight of themonoplane from the opposite side.

  "You're just in time to stand guard," Mr. Holton told Bob. "And whileyou're doing that, the rest of us will look around a bit. We've allbeen busy studying maps of the Andes."

  The adventurers took turns watching the airplane and seeing thecountry all during the remainder of that day. If it were able tofollow schedule, the train from Mollendo, bringing the others of theexpedition, would arrive the next afternoon.

  At that time all the air travelers but Mr. Lewis were in the railroadstation waiting. Mr. Lewis had remained at the field to guard the'plane.

  "It's coming," said Mr. Wallace, and a minute later the train pulledup and stopped.

  Dr. Rust and the other scientists stepped off, to be met by thenaturalists and the youths.

  "I think it might be wise," began Mr. Holton, "to establish atemporary camp here near Cuzco, perhaps in the field by the monoplane.Is everyone with me in this?"

  Professor Allan nodded.

  "I am in favor of it," he said. "Until we make further preparationsfor our work in the mountains it would be wise to put up our tentsthere."

  At the field they found Mr. Lewis waiting for them. He also agreed tofollow Mr. Holton's suggestion.

  Four tents were pitched in a semicircle beside the airplane. Theexpedition's supplies were placed systematically inside, and thenbegan a discussion about the coming exploration.

  "We who are after Inca ruins have decided to set off for the regionnear Mount Panta," Dr. Rust said. "In our opinion, there is anopportunity to find wonderful Inca remains in this section. Mostlikely we will stay within twenty miles of that mountain for three orfour weeks. Where we will go then we will have to decide later."

  "Now of course you archaeologists want to know as nearly as possiblewhere we naturalists will be," began Mr. Holton. "I don't know whethereveryone will agree," he went on, "but I know of a place thatsupposedly abounds with wild creatures. And I would suggest that wehead for that spot."

  The others looked at him inquiringly.

  "This morning while I was out scouting around I came across anAmerican who was just returning from a hunting trip in the Andes," Mr.Holton resumed. "He informed me that the valley of the Comberciato isteeming with wild game. According to his estimate, that's about ahundred miles from here, northwest. It----"

  "I've heard of it, too," cut in Mr. Wallace, his face beaming withscientific enthusiasm. "Why not go there? We'll probably find it worthour while."

  "I'm willing," came from Joe's father.

  "Then let's call it settled," Mr. Holton said. "We'll start out assoon as possible."

  "Here's where Mr. Sutman and his airplane come in," remarked ProfessorAllan. "By the use of the 'plane, we can keep informed as to thewhereabouts of the other division of the expedition. It will prove avaluable asset to our equipment."

  Bob and Joe and Mr. Dunn took it on themselves to go back to therailroad station and have the many boxes of food and supplies removedto the camp. The scientists had purposely left them in charge of theagent until after deciding the course of the expedition and hadcarried only the lighter bags and cases to the camp.

  The railroad agent, when asked of a means of transporting the boxes,pointed outside to a large cart drawn by a mule. Walking lazily atthe side was an Indian.

  "He will do it for you," the railroad man said in poor Spanish.

  Then, knowing that the Americans could not speak the Quichua language,the agent called to the native and asked if he would be willing totake the boxes.

  The Indian merely nodded and went into the building after the firstload. In all, there were about seventy-five cases, and he knew itwould be necessary to make several trips.

  "That mule doesn't look any too willing to pull the load," observedJoe with a laugh. "Be funny if he'd stop still when only about halfwaythere."

  When the cart was loaded with about fifteen or twenty of the boxes,the Indian called for the animal to pull ahead. But the stubborn mulerefused to budge.

  "Now what will he do?" mused Joe, looking at the impatient Indian.

  He soon saw. The native removed five boxes and carried them back intothe station. Then, with the cart lighter, he again attempted to makethe mule move ahead.

  But apparently it was still too much of a load, at least for comfort.

  "That crazy donkey just doesn't want to go, that's all." Mr. Dunn hadbeen taking in the incident with a great deal of interest.

  The Indian was becoming impatient. He had apparently removed all hewas going to from the cart and intended to resort to force.

  Walking to one side, he pushed with all his strength on the balkyanimal, at the same time saying something in Quichua that the whitesguessed was not pleasant.

  Slowly, very slowly, the mule struggled forward, snorting as if inrage. Gradually he quickened his pace, but never exceeded a walk.

  "At this rate it'll take us the rest of the afternoon to geteverything in camp," muttered Bob, amused and yet angered at thestubborn beast.

  The youth guessed fairly right. The sun was almost ready to sink belowthe horizon when the last box was unloaded from the cart, after fivetrips had been made to carry all of the supplies.

  "Too late to do anything tonight," said Mr. Lewis, as the Indian,mule, and cart disappeared over the plateau. "I suppose we'd bettertake it easy, anyway. We'll have some busy days ahead of us."

  Early the next morning the explorers were up preparing for themountain journey.

  "The first thing now is to get mules," said Mr. Wallace. "And," headded with twinkling eyes, "they'll have to be faster than the onethat carried our stuff last night."

  "You forgot." Dr. Brown, the physician, was moving up to Mr. Wallace."The first thing isn't to get mules," the doctor continued with asmile. "Medical attention always comes before anything else."

  "That means a physical examination?" asked Bob.

  "Yes. And it also means vaccination against smallpox and typhoidfever. Those two diseases are very common in this part of Peru."

  Dr. Brown had attended to everyone but the youths and Mr. Wallace. Butit did not take long to finish with them.

  "Now as I was saying," began Mr. Wallace, "the next thing is to getmules. And I know where we can find them. I inquired yesterday andfound that a wealthy Peruvian who lives at the edge of Cuzco can letus have as many as we need. He will also see that we get nativeguides."

  "Don't forget that we need about twenty-five mules--for both partiesof the expedition," Professor Allan reminded him.

  "I haven't," the naturalist returned. "We can get as many as we need.Suppose we do it now."

  Mr. Wallace, Dr. Rust, and Professor Kelley set out a
t once to get thepack animals.

  Meanwhile, Bob and Joe took movie cameras and walked leisurely up thehillside, intending to photograph anything that would come beforethem.

  The boys had not gone far when they came upon a large group of Indianmen, dressed in short, coarse trousers, hand-woven shirts, andbrightly colored blankets. On their heads were the flat "pancake" hatswhich are common in this region.

  "Here's a good chance to take movies," said Joe happily. He hadbrought the camera to his shoulder and pointed it toward the Indians,turning the crank steadily.

  Suddenly the natives rushed angrily at the youths and made a grab atthe motion-picture cameras.