So absorbed was he in this fascinating occupation that he did not see the two until they had left their place of concealment and were close upon him. Hearing the sound of their footsteps at last, he looked up to ascertain their cause. As he beheld the onrushing pair a shudder passed over his frame and the mirror fell from his hands; his arms froze in mid-air while a look of terror came into his face. Before he could recover the two had reached his side. “One sound and I will choke the life out of you,” Stanley threatened in a whisper, at the same time grasping him by the throat, while Ted, picking up a heavy gold sceptre that lay on the floor, raised it above the startled ruler’s head in a manner that left no doubt as to his intentions. Quizquiz was too frightened to speak. “You are our prisoner now, understand?” Stanley continued. “The tables are turned. Now you know just how we felt up to a few minutes ago, and you will learn other things, too, before we are through with you. Not a sound, remember, or it will be the last one you ever make.” “You dared follow me here?” At last words came to the lips of the terrified monarch, but his voice was scarcely audible; the thing seemed so impossible to him. “Here! in the holy temple--in the presence of the Sun-God and of my sacred forefathers----” “Shut up!” Stanley commanded, while Ted’s eyes, becoming accustomed to the semi-darkness, made out a row of mummies seated on gold thrones that lined the walls on both sides of them. “Take us to one of the inner chambers,” Stanley continued, “and we will tell you what to do, but do not forget, no treachery, or you know what will happen,”--and he tightened his fingers perceptibly. “I am the king; I obey no man’s orders,” Quizquiz protested weakly. “You _were_ king; now you are our prisoner and you will do exactly as we say. Move on!” Without another word the captive led them to a small, bare room, with four walls of solid, hewn stone. Light was admitted through an opening ten feet above their heads. Ted stood guard at the door, while Stanley pushed Quizquiz to the centre of the floor, still retaining his hold on the prisoner’s throat. In this position they stood for an appreciable length of time, looking at one another, the Inca’s wily brain busy trying to devise some means of outwitting his captors, and the two Americans hoping they could gain their end without resort to the violence they had promised in the event their demands were refused. CHAPTER XI THE COUNSEL OF THE WISE MEN Quizquiz was rapidly regaining his self-control and haughty reserve. He folded his arms majestically and looked at the two who had made him prisoner. “What do you want?” he asked with a sneer. “You know without asking. Set us free and permit us to return to the outer world.” “And give you all my gold to take with you. Is that all?” “We do not want your gold. We told you that before.”