CHAPTER XXVIII
MYSTERIOUS RITES
The rain seemed to come down harder than ever when the four members ofthe rescue party started to make their way along the strange valley.Mr. Deering had told them the route to follow, or they might havebecome confused in the storm and darkness.
"Have you got your revolvers handy, Jerry, and Ned?" asked Jim Nestor,as they trudged along.
"Yes," replied the tall lad, "but I hope there will be no occasion touse them."
On they hurried, the rain coming down harder than ever. But theIndian disguises of animal skins served a good purpose, for they werewaterproof.
As they turned around a bend in the trail they came in full view ofthe Indian encampment, or, rather village, for it was a permanenttown, with log huts arranged neatly in rows, or streets. In the centreof a sort of public square could be seen a large building. This wasevidently the place where the ceremonies were to take place, for it waslighted up, and outside it, in spite of the rain, several fires blazed.It was evident that some sort of oil or grease kept them from going out.
Proceeding on a little farther, the four rescuers found themselves inthe very midst of the village. Now indeed were they in danger for, fromthe houses on every side, came Indians--men, women and children therewere--all hurrying toward the temple, or council house. And every onewas in disguise. Some were attired as birds and some as beasts, whilea few elected to represent serpents, and crawled along on all fours.It was well that Mr. Deering had thought to provide the four suits ofskins for our friends, or they would hardly have been able to penetrateinto the very heart of the savage town without being detected.
"There's the medicine men's hut," whispered Jerry to Jim as they camecloser to the temple, and saw near it, a smaller cabin. At that momentthe four rescuers were comparatively alone, and it was safe to makethis remark. The miner nodded, and the next moment our friends foundthemselves the centre of a throng that was hurrying into the bigcouncil house.
The four had planned to stay near the outer doors, as they wanted to bewhere they could get out quickly when the time came. This would be whenthe mysterious rites were at their height, and would be at the pointwhen the old flying lizard was taken away and a new one, to remain inplace for the coming year, was substituted.
The interior of the temple presented a wonderful sight, and, hadJerry and Ned and the others not been nervous over the parts theywere playing, they would have found much to marvel over, and admire.The walls were hung with the skins of wild animals, mingled with thefeathers of birds, dyed various brilliant hues.
At one end of the building, which seemed to consist mainly of one bigroom, was a raised platform, and on this were many Indians, evidentlythe medicine men. They were attired in all sorts of horrid and weirdcostumes, some representing animals, and some combinations of men andbeasts. There was a sort of altar, and on this there was a large roundstone, that glittered like gold. The attention of everyone seemedfocused on this stone.
The temple was now almost filled with the Indians, who crowded everyavailable place, and yet others kept coming to see and to hear whatwas going on. Our friends kept near a doorway, and watched everythingnarrowly.
Though they were in some fear lest they be discovered, in which casetheir lives would instantly have paid the forfeit, they need not havebeen alarmed--at least just then. They looked too much like all theIndians around them, and, besides, every savage was too intent on theceremonies about to take place to glance at his neighbors.
The four rescuers had not been in the place more than ten minutesbefore the weird rites began. The medicine men first started amonotonous chant, keeping time as they marched around the altarcontaining the golden stone. Their voices rose above the patter of therain on the roof, and filled the great structure. The place was lightedby torches, and fires burning along the sides, while occasionally,through the opened windows, could be seen the gleams of the signalblazes, reflected from the polished stones. These were to call in anywandering parties of savages.
Suddenly the chant ceased, and all the Indians bowed down. Jerry andhis friends did the same. When they rose they saw that the medicinemen stood in a half circle about the altar. One Indian, evidentlythe leader, began a strange, high-pitched song, and, at the close,he rushed to the golden stone, and struck it a blow with a stick hecarried. Instantly the stone opened and from the interior the medicineman drew out a curious object.
By the start of the professor, whose eyes lighted on it, Jerry and theothers knew what it was--the flying lizard. High up over his head themedicine man held the odd creature, a crawling reptile, about a footlong, which, as it was elevated, spread out four green wings. It was astrange and fearsome creature, but the professor fairly trembled witheagerness as he beheld it.
After holding it in the air a moment the chief medicine man cried outwhat was evidently a question. It was answered by a shout from all thepeople. Then he made a motion as if about to kill the flying lizard,but, instead, handed it to one of the medicine men surrounding him. TheIndian, carrying the reptile, started to leave the temple. At the sametime, from some source which the rescuers could not detect, anotherflying lizard was produced. It was held up as the first had been. Againcame the question from the chief medicine man, and again the answer, ina shouted chorus. This was evidently the new lizard, for it was placedinside the gold stone, which was closed up again.
Then the medicine men took up their chant once more, and began to marcharound the altar, while the whole concourse of people, in their strangecostumes, prostrated themselves flat on their faces on the floor of thetemple.
"Now's our chance!" whispered Nestor to the others. "We can slip outnow, and none of them will see us. We'll go to the hut, get the eightprisoners and escape! The feasting will begin in a little while, andthe Indians will be too interested to notice anything."
"All right," answered Jerry in a whisper. They turned quickly, and leftthe temple. The people were still on their faces. The Indian who hadbeen given the old lizard to dispose of was seen hurrying back up themiddle aisle. Evidently he wanted to join in the rites.
"Oh, where did he put that beautiful specimen?" murmured the professor."I must have it!"
"No time for that now," answered Jim.
They were out of the temple by this time, and hurrying toward themedicine men's hut. As they ran on, the professor in the rear, and withNed, Jerry and Jim Nestor, grasping, under their skin disguises, theirrevolvers, the scientist suddenly uttered a low cry. Jerry turned, andsaw something green glittering on the ground.
"The lizard! The flying lizard!" exclaimed Mr. Snodgrass in a hoarsewhisper. "The Indian did not kill it, after all. I have you, oh, mybeauty!"
He stooped, caught up the nasty looking creature, and quickly put it inhis green specimen box. Then he hastened on with the others toward thehut. From inside the temple came a weird chant.
"Now for the rescue!" cried Jerry.
They reached the hut, which was in a shadow. As they were at theentrance, there emerged from it eight figures.
"We are here," spoke Mr. Deering. "Is everything all right?"
"Yes," answered Jerry. "Come with us now, we will save you."
There was no reply from the others, but Ned thought he heard a womansobbing. It was a long hope realized. The prisoners had been rescued,but they had yet to be taken from the deep valley and away from theirsavage captors.