"It's of no use," said Brace. "Come along. The more we look the more unwilling we shall be to leave." "I feel as if I can't leave it. I must stop and take care of the rest, even if I stay alone," said Briscoe. "No," said Brace; "that would be folly. It will be safe enough till we return." "But look here: suppose we build a raft, and load that? We could tow it down with the boats." "Yes," said Brace, "and end by upsetting it and sending all to the bottom." "Look here," said Sir Humphrey: "I am going to set you both a good example." He hurried out into the light, while after another glance round Briscoe said slowly: "Yes, a raft would end by shooting it all off into the river. Let's make sure of what we've got." And, rushing out, he set steadily to work helping to get the objects still waiting down to the boat, and then he was the first to lead the way and mount from terrace to terrace to the slope and by the way to the great tank, where the water was making a strange reverberating sound. "That noise is enough to keep the Indians away," he said to Brace, as he paused with him till all the men had passed. "It's as good as a safe." When all were down, the L-shaped entrance was carefully blocked with stones and covered with rubbish, earth, and growing plants, so that there was no sign of the place having been disturbed, and by that time the boats were back at their moorings, with the captain shaking his head at them. "More than we ought to take," he said; "but we'll risk it, and hope for fine weather. Now, gentlemen, as we've made our fortunes, let's have the good dinner Dan has got ready for us, and then I say: all traps aboard and down stream for the brig." "Ready to come up again for another load," said Briscoe. "Well," said the captain slowly, "if we can." The dinner was eaten, and various cooking-articles were replaced in the boat. "Now then," said the captain; "all aboard!" "Three cheers first, lads," cried one of the men; "for we shall have our gold now without washing for it." They gave three hearty cheers, and as the last was echoing from the opposite side of the canon every man stood as if petrified, for it was answered by a savage yell which seemed to come from a couple of thousand throats; and as there was a rush to where, from the water steps, they could gaze up stream it was to see quite a fleet of small canoes, each of which held four or five Indians, bearing steadily down for where the boats were moored. CHAPTER FORTY TWO. FOUND AND LOST. "Now, gentlemen," said the captain firmly, "what is it to be: turn this into a fort and fight, or into the boats, hoist sail, and go down stream? You see it runs our way now." "Take to the boats," said Sir Humphrey decisively, and the captain gave the order. "Slow and steady, my lads," he said; "they can't reach us for some time yet, and by then we shall be sailing steadily down." The canoes seemed to be coming on very fast, but the captain was correct.