Five Thousand Miles Underground Part 30

"Doesn't that look like the ruins of some building?"

The professor took a pair of field gla.s.ses from a rack in the wall and took a long view.

"It must be the place," he said in a low voice.

"What place?" asked Jack.

"The temple of treasure," was the answer. "Hankos told me it was on top of the highest mountain in the land, and this must be it, for it is the loftiest place we have seen. But we must be careful, for there is danger down there."

"What kind?" asked Mark.

"The place was long ago deserted by the giants," Mr. Henderson went on. "Ages ago it was one of their storehouses for treasure, but there were wars among themselves, Hankos said, and this part of the country was laid waste. Savage beasts took up their abode in the temple, and since then, in spite of the great size of the giants, they have not dared to venture here. If we brave the animals we may have all the gold and diamonds we can take away."

"Then for one, I'm willin' t' go down an' begin th' extermination at once," put in Andy. "I've always wanted t' be rich."

"We must proceed cautiously," the professor said. "We are ill prepared to fight any such beasts as we saw at the big geyser. At the same time they may have deserted this place. I think we will lower the s.h.i.+p down over the temple, and spend several hours in observation. Then, if nothing develops, we can enter and see if the treasure is there."

This plan was voted a good one, and the Mermaid after having been steered directly over the ruined temple, was brought to a halt, and enough gas let out so that it fell to about fifty feet in the air above it.

The adventurers began their watch. The afternoon waned and there were no signs of any beasts in or about the temple.

"I reckon we can take a chance," said Andy, who was anxious to get his hands on some diamonds.

"Better wait until morning," counseled Mr. Henderson. "It will soon be dark, and it doesn't look like a nice place to go stumbling about in by moonlight."

So, though all but the scientist were anxious, they had to wait until the night had pa.s.sed. Several times Was.h.i.+ngton got up to see if the temple had, by any chance, taken wings during the long hours of darkness, but each time he found it was still in place.

"Seems laik it'll never come mornin'." he said.

But dawn came at length, and, after a hasty breakfast, preparations to enter the temple were made. Andy loaded his gun for "bear" as he expressed it, and the boys each took a revolver.

The s.h.i.+p was lowered to as level a place as could be found, and then, seeing that everything was in readiness for a quick departure, the professor led the way out of the Mermaid.

The entrance to the temple was through a big arched gateway. Some of the stones had fallen down, and the whole structure looked as if it might topple over at any moment.

"Go carefully," cautioned Mr. Henderson, "Watch on all sides and up above. Better let Andy and me go ahead."

The scientist and the old hunter led the way. Through the arch they went, and emerged into what must at one time have been a magnificent courtyard. Before them was the temple proper, a vast structure, with an opening through which fifty men might have marched abreast. But the doors were gone, and the portal was but a black hole.

"I hope there ain't any ghosts in there," said Was.h.i.+ngton, with a s.h.i.+ver.

"Nonsense!" exclaimed the professor. "There may be things as bad, but there are no such things as ghosts. Have your gun ready, Andy."

With every sense on the alert, the old hunter advanced. Every one was a bit nervous, and, as Mark and Jack afterward admitted, they half expected some terrible beast to rush out at them. But nothing of the kind happened, and they went into the interior of the temple.

At first it was so dark they could see nothing. There were vast dim shapes on every side, and from the hollow echo of their footsteps they judged the roof must be very high and the structure big in every way.

Then, as their eyes became used to the darkness, they could make out, up front, something like an altar or pulpit.

"Perhaps that's where they offered up the gold and diamonds as a sacrifice to their G.o.ds," spoke Mark in a whisper.

"Sacrifice to their G.o.ds!" came back a hundred echoes and the sound made every one shudder.

"Oh!" said Was.h.i.+ngton, in a low voice.

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" repeated the echoes in voices of thunder.

"Well, this is pleasant," spoke Andy, in his natural tones, and, to the surprise of all there was no echo. It was only when a person whispered or spoke low that the sound was heard. After that they talked naturally.

"You stay here, and Andy and I will go up front and see what there is," said Mr. Henderson. "Be on your guard, and if you hear us coming back in a hurry, run!"

It was with no little feeling of nervousness that the boys, Bill, Tom and Was.h.i.+ngton watched the two men move off in the darkness. They could hear their footsteps on the stone flags and could dimly see them.

"They must be almost to the altar by this time," said Mark, after a long pause.

Hardly had he spoken than there came a loud, sound from where Mr.

Henderson and Andy had gone. It was as if some giant wings were beating the air. Then came shrill cries and the voice of the old hunter could be heard calling:

"Kneel down, Professor! Let me get a shot at the brute!"

Those waiting in the rear of the temple huddled closer together. What terrible beast could have been aroused?

The next instant the place seemed illuminated as if by a lightning flash, and a sound as of a thousand thunder claps resounded.

"I think I winged him!" cried Andy's voice, and the boys knew he had fired at something.

Then there came a crash, and from the roof of the old temple a dozen stones toppled off to one side, letting in a flood of colored light.

By this illumination could be seen, flapping through the big s.p.a.ce overhead, an enormous bat, as large as three eagles. And, as it flew about in a circle it gave utterance to shrill cries.

"Bang!" Andy's gun spoke again, and the bat with a louder cry than before, darted through the hole in the roof made by the falling stones, which had been loosened by the concussion from the rifle.

"Come on!" cried the old hunter. "That was the guardian of the treasure! We are safe now!"

Then, in the light which streamed through the broken roof, the adventurers could see, heaped up on a great altar, behind which sat a horrible graven image, piles of yellow metal, and sparkling stones. In little heaps they were, arranged as if offerings to the terrible G.o.d of the giants. There were bars and rings of gold, dishes of odd shape, and even weapons. As for the sparkling stones, they were of many colors, but the white ones were more plentiful than all the others.

"Gold and diamonds! Diamonds and gold!" murmured the professor. "There is the ransom of many kings in this ancient temple."

"Wish I had a big bag!" exclaimed Was.h.i.+ngton, as he began filling all his pockets with the precious metal and gems. "If I had a-thought I'd have brought a dress-suit case!"

"A dress-suit case full of diamonds!" exclaimed Mark.

Then he too, as did all the others, fell to filling his pockets with the wealth spread so lavishly before them. There was the riches of a whole world in one place and no one but themselves to take it.

For several minutes no one spoke. The only sound was the rattle of the stones and the clink of gold, and when some of the diamonds dropped on the floor they did not bother to gather them up. There were too many on the altar.

"We will be rich for life!" gasped old Andy, who had been poor all his years.

"I can't carry any more!" gasped Was.h.i.+ngton. "I'm goin' back for----"