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In all directions they fled like sheep, and were chased for miles by the victorious Republicans. Benito, a merciful man, strove to restrain the zeal of his soldiers. It was all in vain, they were drunken with victory, and sabred and shot the wretched fugitives without mercy. The smoke hung heavily over the field of battle, and when it cleared away, the victorious troops of the Junta saw the great standard of the Republic floating proudly in the place lately occupied by the battery of the enemy.
Don Hypolito had disappeared, his army, broken to pieces, was flying in all directions. From the triumphant army massed round the sandhills, rose a roar of joy which made the earth tremble. The wind which had blown away the smoke, shook out the folds of the opal flag, and the Cholacacans saluted the invincible banner with cheers.
"Viva el opale! Viva el Republica!"
CHAPTER IX
THE TRIUMPH OF THE REPUBLIC
Mars, god of war,
Whom we abhor,
Hath doffed his helm,
And laid his lance and shield aside.
He will no more
Lay waste our store,
Nor overwhelm
Our lands beneath his crimson tide.
Mars, god of war, Peace comes anon,
Now war hath gone,
Her olive bough
Of gentleness and quiet she brings
Beneath her sway,
No deadly fray
Can fright us now;
From battle plains the harvest springs.
Three weeks after that memorable victory at Centeotl, the city of Tlatonac was holding high festival in honour of the triumphant Junta. Every street was illuminated and decorated with flowers. In the principal places, fireworks, so dear to the hearts of the Cholacacans were being let off, and the ships lying in the harbour were brilliant with lights. The populace in their gayest attire walked singing through the streets, visited the pulque shops, and gathered in groups to indulge in their national dances. Bands stationed in different squares, played the Opal Fandango, The March of Zuloaga, and soldiers, the heroes of the hour, were to be seen everywhere, being fêted and caressed by the grateful citizens.
Before the Palacio Nacional a dense crowd had collected, and the place itself, brilliantly lighted up, was occupied by a gaily dressed throng. His Excellency the President was giving a ball in honour of the establishment of peace. On one of the balconies Jack and Dolores were seated, watching the varied throng below, and talking of past events. For the hundredth time Dolores was asking Jack about the battle, and all that had taken place thereat.
"I am sure, Dolores, you must be wearied of this more than twice-told tale."
"No, Juanito! It is a tale of which I never weary. Come, querido, tell me once more. Begin, 'After the battle – '"
"After the battle," repeated Jack, humouring her fancy. "Well, the first thing we did after the battle was to search for the body of Don Xuarez. He had been last seen on the summit of the sandhill by his battery. When the reinforcements took that position by storm, Xuarez vanished, and though we searched everywhere for his body, it could not be found."
"So then you knew that he had escaped?"
"It was presumed so; but even now we are not certain as to what has become of him. However, he had vanished; and giving up the search for him, dead or alive, in despair, General Benito left a few hundred men to garrison Centeotl, and pushed on at once to Janjalla. In the harbour we found the fleet, which had captured the town by bombarding it, and Captain Pedraza, under instructions from Benito, took the ships back to Tlatonac."
"Ah, I remember how joyful we were when they entered the harbour and announced the victory. Everyone in Tlatonac was mad with joy."
"Dios! They are mad enough to-night," said Jack, smiling, as he looked down on the crowd; "but under the circumstances, I think it is excusable. The fall of Acauhtzin, the last stronghold of the Opposidores, is worth being excited about. Did Rafael tell you all about it, Dolores?"
"Not so much as he might have done," pouted Dolores, unfurling her fan; "but you see, Juan, there is Doña Carmencita – "
"Of course! Poor girl! Fancy her father being killed when the city was being bombarded!"
"A great loss, was it not?" sighed Dolores, her eyes filling with tears. "Ay di mi. How sad would I feel had I lost my dear uncle."
"It is the fortune of war," said Jack, calmly. "Instead of our troops capturing Acauhtzin and killing Tejada, it might have been Xuarez storming Tlatonac and shooting Don Miguel. One thing, at least, Doña Carmencita has to be grateful for: Rafael rescued her unharmed from the burning city, and now she is to be his wife."
"And I am to be yours!"
"Yes; and Eulalia is to be Philip's," finished Jack, promptly. "I thought Don Miguel would never give his consent to that marriage."
"Eh, Juanito!" said Dolores, with a mischievous smile, "I think my uncle did so to console Don Felipe for losing his chance of being at the battle."
"Poor Philip! Only one battle of any consequence, and he missed it by being away at Truxillo."
At this moment Dolores was summoned away from her lover by Doña Serafina. The old lady was a very severe duenna when not asleep, and as Dolores was yet unmarried, did not approve of her being too much in the society of her future husband. A little jealousy was mingled with this strict regard for etiquette, as Doña Serafina had utterly failed to fascinate Peter. All her smiles and insinuating remarks had been quite thrown away on the little doctor, who showed no disposition for matrimony, and scrupulously ignored the languishing looks of his elderly admirer. Finally, Serafina gave up the pursuit of this medical male as a bad job, and revenged herself indirectly on the sex by being particularly sharp with Eulalia and Dolores, both of whom were rarely permitted to be more than a few minutes with their respective lovers. These last blamed Peter in no measured terms for thus depriving them of the society of their future wives; but the doctor absolutely refused to sacrifice himself any longer on the altar of friendship. He announced this in a conversation which took place in the patio of Casa Maraquando after the ball.
"I would do anything for you I could," he explained plaintively to Jack and Philip; "but I really cannot go on paying attention to Doña Serafina. She thinks I am in earnest!"
"And so you ought to be, you little monster," said Tim, quickly. "It's time you were married."
"Well, then, why don't you set the example?"
"It's easy talking! I have no one to love me."
"Journalism is a jealous mistress," observed Philip, laughing. "Tim is devoted to 'Articles from a Special Correspondent.'"
"True for you," replied Tim, complacently; "but my occupation's gone. Didn't I send my last article about 'The Fall of Acauhtzin' from Janjalla? and isn't the war over?"
"The war is certainly over!" said Jack, lighting a cigarette; "but the danger of another war is not yet past."
"What do you mean, Jack?"
"Don Hypolito still lives; and while he lives, the Republic is not safe."
"Still lives!" echoed Philip, in surprise. "Why, Jack, I don't see how you can make that out. He was not found on the field of battle, nor in Janjalla, nor in Acauhtzin. He must be dead!"
"No; Don Hypolito is not the man to die so easily. Where he is, I do not know, but I am certain he is yet alive."
There was silence for a few minutes, as each was busy with his own thoughts regarding the probable resurrection of Xuarez. After the battle of Centeotl, he had vanished utterly from the face of the earth. It was thought he had fled to Janjalla, or perchance to Acauhtzin; but in neither of those towns could he be discovered. After a bombardment of five hours, the latter city had surrendered to the warships. Don Josè, the Governor, in the absence of Xuarez, had been killed by the bursting of a bomb, and many of his officers had shared the same fate. Of Xuarez, however, nothing could be discovered, and Don Miguel was much disturbed thereat. With a restless spirit like the rebel leader still working in secret, the danger was not yet at an end, and the President was determined to spare no effort to bring Xuarez, to justice. While the four friends were thinking over this matter, Don Rafael, who had been holding a private conversation with his father, entered the patio.
That young man was the hero of the bombardment of Acauhtzin. He had recovered Doña Carmencita; his father had consented to his speedy marriage with that lady, and he was idolised by his fellow-citizens. With all this good fortune, he should have been gay and lighthearted; but as he entered the patio, he certainly looked anything but happy.
"Dios! What ails you, Rafael?" asked Jack, as his friend threw himself into a seat, and sighed heavily. "Anything wrong?"
"Carambo! Everything is wrong. My father refuses his consent to our marriages."
"What?" interrupted Philip and Jack, in dismay.
"Till Xuarez is discovered and punished," finished Rafael, dismally.
"Ah!" said Philip, with a breath of relief, "it might have been worse. I thought you were about to say Don Miguel had refused his consent altogether."
"Dios! I don't know if it does not amount to that," replied Rafael, shrugging his shoulders. "How are we to find this ladron of a Xuarez? He is not at Acauhtzin. He is not in the south. Where then are we to look for him?"
"Can you not find out? – "
"I can find out nothing, mi amigo. For my part, I believe he is dead."
"For my part, Señor Rafael, I believe he is alive," retorted Tim, gruffly.
"Eh! And where do you think he is to be found, Señor Correspoñsal?"
"Quien sabe," said Tim, carelessly. "But you know, Señor, that after the battle of Centeotl, I rode to Janjalla, to wire my report to England?"
"Yes."
"While there, I heard two prisoners talking. They, deeming me to be a foreigner, and not knowing that I was conversant with Spanish, spoke freely."
"Bueno! And they said? – "
"Nothing about Don Hypolito, but talked of Pepe."
"Pepe!" echoed Philip, quickly. "The zambo who decoyed Dolores from Tlatonac – the lover of Marina?"
"The same. Pepe, it appears, had followed Xuarez to Janjalla, being, as we know, the prince of spies. When The Cortes was taken, and Xuarez was thus cut off from getting back to Acauhtzin, Pepe happened to be in Janjalla. The troops of Xuarez were wondering, in the case of defeat, how they could escape from the hands of our men. Pepe laughed, on hearing their doubts, and said he could easily escape to Totatzine."
"To Totatzine?"
"To the sacred city. He said no one could follow him there, and that he knew of a secret way in the south, which would take him thither."
"But, Jack, the secret way you came is to the north of Tlatonac," said Philip turning towards Duval.
"Very true! But for a long time I have had my suspicions that there is a second way to that city, by the cañon road, of which I told you. It is by that way, to my mind, that Pepe intended to go."
"Yes, mi amigo!" said Rafael, triumphantly; "but you quite forget. Pepe was captured in the south, after the battle of Centeotl, and is now in prison at Tlatonac, awaiting punishment."
"Very true! He did not escape to Totatzine, as he intended. But where was he captured? At the battle of Centeotl. Now, seeing that Don Hypolito has disappeared, it is just possible that Pepe told him of the second secret way to the sacred city, and that Xuarez may have escaped thence."
"Dios!" exclaimed Rafael, springing to his feet. "Think you, Señor Correspoñsal, that this dog is now at Totatzine?"
"I am not sure, but it might be so. Ixtlilxochitli is his friend. There he would be safe, and if at the battle of Centeotl Pepe told him of this southern way to the city, when he saw that all was lost, he probably took advantage of the information."
"Why not find out if this is so, from Pepe?" suggested Jack, when Tim ceased speaking.
"He will tell nothing," replied Rafael, in disgust. "This zambo is a mule for obstinacy."
"We might try, at all events," said Philip, cheerfully. "Where is Pepe, mi amigo?"
"In the prison of the Palacio Nacional. If you think, Señores, there is any chance of getting information from the zambo, let us seek him now."
"Why to-night?" said Peter, looking at his watch, "or rather this morning. It is two o'clock. You are all weary with the ball. Better wait till to-morrow."
"No!" exclaimed Rafael, throwing his heavy cloak over his shoulder. "We will go now. My father absolutely refuses to let any of us marry until we discover Xuarez. I want to know where he is to be found at once, otherwise I shall get no rest. As for you, señor – "
"I will come, by all means," said Philip, putting on his sombrero. "It is also to my interest to find Xuarez, else I may not marry your sister, Rafael."
"We will all go!" said Jack, rising to his feet. "Tim, you may get some copy, and make an article of it – 'The Confessions of a Spy.' Peter, you can go to bed, as this matter does not interest you in the least."
"Oh, doesn't it?" said Peter, indignantly. "I am as anxious as you are to see you married, Jack. But with your permission, I shall go to bed, because I do not think you'll get any information out of Pepe."
"We'll try, at all events," observed Philip, emphatically. "I want to marry Eulalia."
"And I," said Juan, following his friends to the door, "want to do three things, none of which I can accomplish unless Pepe tells us of the secret way."
"And the three things, Jack?" asked Tim, curiously.
"First, I want to marry Dolores. Second, I desire to save the life of Cocom, who is a prisoner at Totatzine; and, third, I am anxious to obtain possession again of the harlequin opal."
CHAPTER X
THE CAÑON ROAD
This is a tropical forest,
Where myriad leaves forming a roof overhead, keep out the effulgence of sunlight,
So that beneath is the region of shadows and dimness;
Yet in this spectral twilight rise cities, magnificent, lonely;
Built in the far-distant days of giants – great architects they!
Sky-piercing pyramids, plinth, and column, and capital.
Line upon line of pillars, that loom in the darkness eternal,
Staircases huge, vast halls, and temples majestical;
Now no longer receiving the throngs of worshippers holy,
Only the bat flits through the ruins; ravenous beasts now wander
Through street, and square, and palaces gorgeous.
Who built all these splendours? We know not who built them.
Yet do they loom in the twilight region of shadows,
Encircled by tropical forests.
As a rule, Dr. Grench was an early riser, and denied himself the luxurious idleness of morning slumbers, but on this special occasion he did not wake at his usual hour. The dancing of the previous night had proved too much for the virtuous Peter, who always went to bed early, consequently he was very tired, and by no means pleased at being awakened unexpectedly by Jack. Peter was in the middle of a delightful dream, in which he was hunting unusually large beetles. After a time, however, the beetles began to hunt Peter, and one, having caught him, was shaking him severely. The shaking woke him up, and the beetle changed to Jack, who was trying to pull Peter out of bed.
"What's matter?" grumbled Peter vaguely, struggling into a sitting position. "I don't want to get up."
"You must," said Jack, serenely, "or we shall start without you."
"Start? what? where? when? Beetle-hunting?"
"Peter, you are not awake! What do you mean by such delirious talk? Put on your clothes, and come down to breakfast. We're all waiting."
Jack vanished, and Peter, wondering what was the matter, got out of bed with manifest reluctance. A cold bath drove the fumes of sleep from his head, and dressing rapidly, he repaired to the dining-room, where he found his friends and Rafael making a hasty meal. Peter stared, and began to ask questions.
"Now what is – ?"
"Oh, here's Peter," said Philip, looking up with a smile. "Come on, sluggard, and have something to eat. We are going to Cuavaca by train."
"Train!" repeated the doctor, taking his seat. "What train?"
"Jack's train, you idiot," said Tim, giving Peter a dig in the ribs. "Your wits are wandering!"
"I think yours must be," retorted Peter, addressing the company collectively. "What is the meaning of this early rising?"
"We are going to Cuavaca."
"Never heard of it."
"Then you hear of it now," said Jack, crossly; "how stupid you are, Peter. I will explain: we saw Pepe, the zambo, last night, and on condition that his life is spared, he has promised to guide us to the city of Totatzine by this second secret way."
"Oh! and Cuavaca?"
"Cuavaca is a town thirty miles inland. The railway line is laid down to that place, and twenty miles beyond. We are taking a thousand troops to Cuavaca, and intend to leave them there, while Pepe shows us the cañon road. Then we will lead them by that way to Totatzine, save Cocom, take Xuarez prisoner, and secure the opal."
"But," said Peter, argumentatively, "is the end of your railway near this hidden city? or does a trackless forest lie between the terminus and the cañon road?"
Jack made a diagram on the tablecloth with knives and plates.
"Look, Peter! This is Tlatonac. This Cuavaca. We go to the latter place by rail. From Cuavaca the railway is constructed another twenty miles, and stops in the middle of a vast forest. Here, according to Pepe, is Totatzine, sunken out of sight in its hollow valley. Between the end of the railway and Totatzine is a distance of twenty miles, more or less – "
"Of tangled forest and brushwood!"
"Nothing of the sort. Don't I tell you Pepe has promised to show us the secret way – the other secret way? The entrance is from a ruined city, about a mile to the right of the railway works. We find out that city, take our men from Cuavaca to it, and thence march up the cañon road to Totatzine."
"Dios! Don Juan!" exclaimed Rafael, who had been looking at Jack's table-map. "It seems to me that if the railway goes on it will pass by and reveal this hidden city."
"Not it. Had there been a chance of its doing so, we would have had trouble with the Indians pulling up the rails. No, mi amigo. The line is surveyed a long distance further on. If it turned to the right, it might certainly hit Totatzine; but, as you see, it trends to the left, and if used for a century could never reveal the existence of the sacred city. Ixtlilxochitli saw that, and did not mind the railway passing, so to speak, by his door. The city is too well hidden by its encircling mountains and by the windings of the cañon to be discovered without special exploration."
"But it seems to me awfully stupid that the priests should take so much trouble over the one secret way and never bother about the other."
This observation of Philip's seemed to strike Jack, and he reflected a few moments before he replied.
"What you say is very true, Philip," he replied slowly; "the secret way leading to the sea is very complicated, and even then the priests always blindfold pilgrims on the platform. This other road, leading from the ruined city, must be blocked up by rubbish, and what not. There is a wall across the entrance to the cañon, but it is pierced by a gate always open. No one comes by the narrow track, so I expect the entrance to that road has been choked up, and the way fallen into disuse."
"Then how did Pepe find it out?"
"Lord knows! But the secret must be his alone else the priests would have destroyed the cañon path leading to the pierced wall, and so cut off communication entirely from that side of the town."
"I hope Pepe is not leading us into an ambush," said Peter, anxiously, as they arose to go.
"If he does, it will cost him his life," replied Philip, grimly. "Pepe, my dear doctor, marches before us with a pistol at his head. The first signs of treachery, and he falls dead. I don't think he'll risk that catastrophe."
By this time Peter had concluded his breakfast, and they all set out to the Puerta de la Culebra, near which, beyond the walls, was the railway station. On the previous night Pepe, under promise of his life being spared, had admitted that Don Hypolito had fled northward overland to Totatzine, gaining the city by the inland secret way. This road Pepe promised to reveal on condition that the President spared his life. Next morning, Rafael told his father of the offer, and, as Don Miguel was anxious to capture Xuarez, he readily assented to the proposition of the zambo.
Of course the six thousand Indians, who had been disbanded by the influence of the opal, were not in the sacred city. Their villages were far to the north, near Acauhtzin, and as they only came south to the festivals of the opal, by the secret way of the sea, it was unlikely that the troops led by Rafael and Jack would encounter any resistance. The forests where the railway ended, and where, according to Pepe, the cañon road began, were singularly devoid of population. This might have been caused by the jealousy of the priests, lest some wandering Indians should find the entrance to the cañon road from the ruined city. If so, this jealous suspicion caused their ruin; for, had the district been infested with Indians, they, seeing an unusual concourse of soldiers at Cuavaca, would at once have warned the priests of the intended invasion of Totatzine. Then the cañon road could have been easily defended against the troops from Tlatonac by a small body of defenders, and the disaster averted. As it was, however, the inhabitants of the sacred city were entirely ignorant of their danger until the foe was under their walls.
The railway line was completed as far as Cuavaca, a little inland village which promised to shortly develop into a city, owing to its being the future starting place, whence lines were to run north and south throughout the whole length of Cholacaca. From the capital to this terminus extended a vast plain for over thirty miles, so that there was no difficulty in laying the line, and it had been speedily completed under the vigorous superintendence of Jack. There were no engineering difficulties to be overcome, and the railway ran easily in a straight line over the plains to the foot of the volcano Xicotencatl, where Cuavaca was situated. From this point began a rugged and mountainous country, which extended northward as far as Acauhtzin. Twenty miles of railway had been constructed with great difficulty, as, owing to the configuration of the country, the line was singularly curving and irregular. Bridges had to be built across cañons, tunnels had to be pierced through solid rock, and embankments, faced with stone walls, constructed where the ground fell away rapidly to moderately sized plains. The district was situated in the tierra templada, about ten thousand feet above sea level; but, the grade constantly ascending as the iron road went northward, it was calculated by Jack that the last portion of the way would run some short distance below the snow line of the tierra friá.
This expedition to capture Totatzine was not without its dangers. It was the season of festival and the sacred city would doubtless be filled with fanatical worshippers, who would fiercely resist the attempted seizure of their shrines. A thousand well-armed infantry were sent to Cuavaca by Don Miguel, and, leaving these quartered in the village, Jack, with his three friends and Rafael, guided by Pepe, went forward to search for the secret entrance. When this was found, they intended to return and take the troops by railway twenty miles, and thence lead them by the secret entrance up the cañon road. When this was done, a reinforcement of another thousand soldiers was to arrive at Cuavaca, and await instructions there, lest the first should fail to capture the city. The engines running on the line from Cuavaca were singularly powerful machines, strongly built, so as to ascend the gradient to the northward, and there were plenty of trucks in which troops could be taken to the end of the railway. Jack also had a few carriages shifted from the Cuavaca line to that running northward, so that the whole body of soldiers now stationed at the little town could be conveyed to the hoped-for entrance of the cañon road in a remarkably short space of time.
By noon all the troops were quartered at Cuavaca, and then Jack started by the northern line for the cañon road. He only took an engine with one carriage, so as to travel as rapidly as possible. At first he wanted to go forward himself with Pepe, but Philip would in no way consent to his doing this.
"You can't trust that zambo, Jack," he said, decisively; "he might take advantage of your being alone, and knock you on the head."
"Scarcely, when I am armed and he is not. If only we two go, we can travel on the engine. If you all come, I must fix on a carriage."
"Well, that won't make much difference," retorted Philip, quickly. "We are all keen on the business, and want to see how matters turn out. Tim, Peter, Rafael, and myself are all coming with you, Jack; so hitch on a carriage to your engine right away."
This was accordingly done without further objection on the part of Duval, and they left Cuavaca about one o'clock, travelling rapidly so as to reach the terminus with as little delay as possible. According to Pepe, it would take some hours for them to discover the ruined city, and they did not expect to return before six o'clock. Then it would have to be decided whether they would take the troops on to the ruined city at once, or wait till the next day.
Cuavaca was situate at the base of the great volcano Xicotencatl, which reared its white peak high above the surrounding mountains. North and south stretched ranges from the central point with summits more or less covered with snow, and from Cuavaca began dense forests which clothed the slopes of these mighty hills. Leaving the village by the side towards the north, the engine with its solitary carriage ran through a moderately long tunnel piercing a high range of hills, which shot outward at right angles from the principal mountains. From thence it emerged on to a deep valley, and skirted the side of the hills in a winding track cut out of the solid rock. Jack was on board the engine with the driver, personally superintending the journey, and his three friends with Rafael were admiring the view from the windows of the carriage. Pepe, guarded by two soldiers, was seated at the end of the carriage, and looked anything but cheerful under such surveillance.
The scenery was truly wonderful. Sliding along the side of the mountains, those in the carriage looking out, saw not the line on which they were running, but looked down eight or nine hundred feet into the depths below. Sometimes the line was built of solid masonry clamped with iron, and it was anything but pleasant to think how the train was clinging like a fly to the perpendicular sides of the giant hills. Below swirled rapid torrents raging over black rocks, or flowing in broad streams between flat mud-banks. The engine would proceed along a level for some distance, then pant slowly up an ascending gradient; suddenly turning a sharp curve, she would shoot breathlessly down a decline on to a long narrow bridge thrown across a wide expanse of river bed intersected by thin streams, which at time of rain joined their forces into one vast flood. Owing to the infinite windings of the line, it was built on the narrow gauge system, so as to permit the quick turning of curves, and when the engine, leaning to one side, shot round these turnings, the sensation was anything but pleasant.
"It's a most wonderful line, so far as engineering goes," said Philip, drawing back from the window with a sudden qualm, as the carriage rocked dangerously; "but it is devilishly unpleasant. If we went over!"
"There wouldn't be much of us left," said Tim grimly. "Begad, Philip, I've been in a mighty lot of railway trains, but this line of Jack's beats Banagher, and Banagher beats the devil."
"Santissima!" said Rafael, uneasily, "I trust, Señores this devil of an engine will not fall over the cliff."
"I'd never travel on this line for pleasure," cried Peter, who was seated on the opposite side to the precipice for safety; "nor do I think it will be much patronised by people when opened."
"The sea for me," remarked Philip, thankfully; "anything but being boxed up in this place, with a chance of falling five or six thousand feet without hope of getting out of the carriage."
In truth the journey was singularly unpleasant in many places. Jack had constructed his line thoroughly well; but there was no denying that the sudden turns, the unexpected descents, the narrow bridges, and the frequent tunnels, were enough to shake the nerves of the strongest man. On all sides arose the snow-clad peaks, far below ran rivers, spread forests, gaped cañons and between heaven and earth crawled the train, holding on to the sides of mountains. The colours and lights sweeping over the scenery were exquisite, the landscape below, above, was grand and impressive, but the four men in the carriage felt somewhat nervous at this tremendous journey. In ordinary cases, they were brave enough, and prepared for any emergency; but boxed up in this carriage they felt helpless should an accident occur. As to Jack, he was used to such travelling, and looked at his work with great pride.
At length the engine shot from a deep and narrow cutting into the depths of a broad-spreading forest, clothing a deep valley. Through its centre ran a torrent, and the line skirted this to the left, through dense woodland, towards the high peaks of a mountain in the far distance. Midway in this valley the engine slowed down, and ultimately stopped. Philip, looking out of the window, saw a wide clearing, with upturned soil, fallen trees, and here and there huts erected. It was the terminus of the railway; and, thankful to have arrived in safety, they all jumped out on to the sward with alacrity.
Beyond this clearing appeared a track cut through the forest, trending in the direction of the distant peaks, but the line stopped at the beginning of this avenue. Scattered rails, piles of sleepers, the abrupt termination of the line, showed that it went no further. Between this point and the unknown city of Totatzine intervened a distance of twenty miles. The little party, with their guns and revolvers all in order, stood looking around them at the unfinished line. Pepe, guarded by the two soldiers, was sullen and watchful.
