gleeful over the fact of having made them prisoners, and at once proceeded to bind their arms behind them, after having first divested them of their weapons.
Then the five swamp explorers were lifted to their feet in their deplorable condition.
“I wonder what in thunderation the scamps are a-goin’ ter do with us,” observed the Yankee.
“The Lord only knows,” groaned Prof. Easy, who now was thoroughly frightened.
“We will have to trust to luck,” said Leo.
“We is done gwine ter be killed – ’deed we is!” exclaimed Lucky, in a despondent tone.
“Wait until you are sure of that before you say it again,” replied Dick.
Then turning to the crowd surrounding them, he continued:
“Come! what are you standing there for? Why don’t you take us to the place you intend to, and have done with it?”
It seemed that he was understood, for without any further ado two men seized each of the captives, and the whole crowd started off down the passage.
It was rather dark in the tunnel-like place, and when they had traversed about three hundred yards, our friends were unable to see any of their surroundings.
But in a very few minutes they saw light ahead of them, and objects again became distinguishable.
A cry of wonder broke from the lips of the five as they were marched out into the light. If they had been surprised when they first entered the underground place, they were even more than surprised now.
They found themselves in a natural cave of many acres in extent, in which was a small village of stone huts.
The queerest thing about the place was that the top of the cave – if cave it could really be called – was entirely open in a circle of six or seven hundred yards in diameter. This admitted both light and rain, and hence it was that an unlimited supply of vegetation could be seen about.
The opening above was many feet from the ground upon which the stone huts were built, and there was no possible means of getting to the level ground above without the aid of an immense ladder.
“Well, this jist beats the Jews!” ejaculated Haypole. “This place looks like a big watermelon hollered out and one of ther ends cut off. I think if I knowed that song called ‘Down in a Coal Mine,’ I’d sing it.”
The prisoners were led along until they came to the largest building visible to them, and there a halt was called.
There were no doors to any of the huts, which showed that the inhabitants were not afraid of being robbed by their neighbors. The crowd who had charge of our friends faced the main doorway of the building they had halted in front of, and then clapped their hands.
Almost immediately a rustle was heard, and the figure of a female came out.
As soon as she appeared every person in sight, save the five captives, dropped to their knees and turned their faces to the ground.
With a look of wonderment upon their faces the swamp explorers eyed the girl – for she did not look to be over eighteen at the most – and marveled at her rare beauty.
She was attired in a trailing, white gown of some gauzy material, and her face was partly concealed by a fold of the same, which was thrown around her shoulders and across her mouth.
The look from her dazzling bright eyes showed that she was surprised at seeing the strangers.
But only for an instant did her gaze rest upon them.
Turning quickly to those who had brought them there, she clapped her hands three times.
All arose to their feet and saluted her.
Then, to the surprise of Prof. Easy, one of the men stepped forward and began addressing the girl in Spanish.
“Oh, queen,” said he, “here are five more people who have dared find their way into the land of Hez. What shall be their doom? Shall they be confined in the magic chamber with the other prisoner to witness the dance of death, or shall they be slaughtered at once?”
“Conduct them to the magic chamber,” said the queen, with an imperious wave of her hand.
She turned to enter the building, when the professor, who could speak Spanish fluently, exclaimed:
“Most gracious queen, listen a moment, please!”
At this the girl turned as if she had been stung, and the fold of her garment, becoming loosened, fell from her face, revealing the most beautiful countenance our friends had ever looked upon, or even dreamed of.
“Heavens!” thought Dick Vincey, “what a beautiful creature.”
The queen had fixed her eyes upon the face of the professor.
“Were you addressing me, sir?” she demanded.
“I was, oh, queen,” he returned. “I would like to say, in behalf of my companions and myself, that if we did wrong in coming to this place, we were not aware of it. Surely you will not condemn us to death for making such a mistake.”
“Enough! Away with them to the magic chamber, and let them witness the dance of death.”
With these words she swept gracefully into the house, and the Hezzians, as we shall now call the natives, seized the prisoners and led them from the spot.
None of the party, save Prof. Easy, could understand any other language than their own, and they were all very curious as to what was going to be done with them.
“What did she say when you spoke to her, professor?” asked Leo.
“She has sentenced us to be shut up in a place called the magic chamber, where there is now a captive already, and witness the dance of death. What will follow I am not prepared to say. That beautiful but hard-hearted creature is the queen of this strange country, and what she says seems to be law.”
“She don’t look as though she would have us killed,” observed Haypole. “I seen her castin’ sheep’s-eyes at Dick while we was a-standin’ there. Ther only thing that’ll save us is for him ter make love to her.”
“I’d do that willingly enough, if I thought it would save our lives,” said Dick.
Leo and the Yankee laughed in spite of their situation.
It struck them that Dick would be glad to pay his attentions to the beautiful queen, even if it would not benefit them.
But there was no time for further conversation now. The Hezzians had halted at what appeared to be the extreme end of the cave.
Half a dozen of them used their combined efforts to roll a rock aside, which revealed a small opening.
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