Part 12 (1/2)

”Does he make a great light and a great noise up there?” and John pointed up to the heavens.

”Yes.”

”Then why did you lie to me when you said that he speaks to you in the cave?”

”We can understand it only in the cave.”

While they were thus speaking John held the stone cross in his hand, and the Krishnos eyed him curiously. He finally saw the movement, and, quick as a flash, he reached down in his pocket, un.o.bserved by them, and drew forth one of the wooden matches, which they had made at the Cataract.

”What is this?” he asked sternly, pointing to the cross.

They raised their hands and rolled their eyes upwardly, as though about to p.r.o.nounce a malediction on John. He deftly drew the match along the rear side of the stone, and as it blazed forth into light, he thrust it forward into their faces.

The act was such a startling one that they threw themselves on the ground in terror.

”The Great Spirit told me that you lied, and he is about to come out of the stone and consume you. He will follow you everywhere unless you go to the Tuolos at once and tell them that the Great Spirit has told you to give up the captives, and to never again kill any of them. You must tell them we have been sent to make them our friends, and that if they do not follow this advice we will punish them.”

The Krishnos cringed before John. It was obvious to the surrounding warriors that the words they had heard had an ominous import, and they saw how feeble were the devices of the so-called wise men when pitted against the knowledge of John.

John a.s.sumed a most tragic att.i.tude, as he slowly raised his arm and pointed with his finger to the savage village. ”Go,” he said, ”and bring back to me the answer before the morning sun comes up.”

They hesitated. ”Do you fear to go? Are the wise men cowards? Did the Great Spirit tell you to fear the Tuolos? Shall we go and sacrifice all your people?”

”They will not believe us; they will kill us.”

”Then they, too, know you have lied to them. If you remain here you will not be safe, because the great light might destroy you.”

Then turning to Muro he said: ”Take these men to their village, and see that they are forced to meet their chiefs,” and with an imperious air he turned from them.

Muro's warriors were not too gentle with them. The spell of savage witchcraft had been broken. John and all of them knew it. They were hustled forward in the darkness, and as they approached the village Muro told them to advise the chiefs in his presence what John had said.

Muro and the warriors, with the loaded guns, remained at a safe distance, and the Krishnos entered the village. They waited in silence for more than an hour, and then a commotion was noticed, which grew more intense as the voices increased in volume.

In the meantime John with the rest of the warriors came up quietly in the rear, and, after consulting with Blakely and Muro, the village was surrounded.

The boys saw the large hut where they were confined, after being captured, and from which they were rescued. Calling John's attention to it, Ralph said: ”That big house is the place they kept us, and that is where you found us.”

John looked at them in surprise. He did not know this, as at the time the boys were rescued he was in mental darkness, and did not recall the incident.

It was obvious that some tragedy was being enacted. While awaiting the result of the conference Muro was away instructing the pickets who were around the village. He soon appeared, bringing with him two Tuolos whose dress betokened them as belonging to the same order as the individuals who had been sent into the village.

Calling John aside he said:

”The Tuolos have two rival sets of medicine men. These belong to the other set, and are the ones who perform the religious rites.”

”Where did you find them?”

”Directly east of the village.”