It saved them from numerous stumbles, and possibly a bad fall; because the way was rough, with many outlying rocks to serve as traps for unwary feet. “We must be getting right into the heart of the mountain,” whispered Adrian, after they had been advancing in this manner for quite some time. “That’s right,” replied the other, with equal caution; “and still the old fraud seems to be pushing ahead.” “Do you think this passage can lead through the pile of rocks, so that if we kept on far enough we’d come out on the other side?” Adrian asked. “Hardly that,” his chum chuckled. “Pretty soon we’ll find out just why Pick-ne-quan-to comes in here every once in a while. It used to be only so many times a year, they told me at the village, but now he has a talk with the Great Spirit nearly every day.” “Yes, I heard that brave tell you so; and every time, some of them say they can hear that heavenly music, and the heavy voice of the dread Manitou, coming out from the heart of this Sacred Mountain. It’s mighty queer, Donald, what it can all mean.” “Well, let’s hope that after all the trouble we’ve taken we are on the brink of learning his secret,” the ranchman’s son observed. “That doesn’t mean anything about his treasure, though,” put in Adrian. “No, we made up our minds to have nothing to do with any deposit of precious metal he might have found in here; because we don’t want to send ten thousand white prospectors rushing this way, to overturn things, and really wipe the Zuni people out, in their craze for gold. We’ll listen, and look around, and then go away again as quietly as we came.” While he did not know it, this remark on the part of Donald, and which really reflected the sentiments of both lads, did them great credit. It was not every boy who could look at things in such a humane light. They had been greatly interested in the strange life of the Zunis, and just the very thought of all this history, which extended far back beyond the discovery of America by Columbus, being snuffed out in the greedy rush of modern gold-crazy miners was repulsive to them. “There, he’s turned another bend, I reckon, Donald; and it’s so pitch dark here don’t you think we’d better make use of the hand torch again?” said Adrian, presently. “Just as you say,” replied the other; “but we must be careful about it, because one flash of the ray would put him wise to the fact that there was something going on back here that ought to be looked into. And I’d hate to have that grim old chap trying some of his witchcraft on us.” “Huh! on my part I’d be more afraid of his letting loose a nest of rattlesnakes to trap us, or some such awful game. When we get to that bend ahead—” but Adrian did not finish his sentence, for just then a strange sound broke forth upon their hearing that caused both boys to stand there as though transfixed; while Donald shut off the little illumination with a movement of his ready thumb.