At first the two rebels were met with a flourish of pikes and angry cries that boded ill for their safety. When they succeeded in making themselves heard, however, explaining what had happened and pointing to the dead body of Anitoo in confirmation of Raoul's victory, the cavemen checked their hostile demonstrations, looking from one to the other of the men before them, and then to the little group surrounding Raoul, in astonishment. They had the most exaggerated trust in Anitoo's wisdom and prowess; that he could be vanquished by any one impressed them mightily. The death of their leader was, indeed, a potent argument in favor of the man who had killed him. What did this victorious stranger intend to do now? they asked each other. Then the foremost of them put the question to the two rebels, who answered with contagious enthusiasm: "He will free us! The wealth of the Condor will be ours! We will have the world--not a cave--to live in!" The instant effect of this assurance was all that could be desired. One by one took up the words they had just heard with a shout of triumph, waving their weapons in air and declaring that they would follow this new-found leader to the death. Then they all broke into a run, saluting Raoul, when they reached him, with the submissive gesture they were wont to accord their superiors. Elated by the complete success of his strategy, Raoul looked exultantly at the men prostrate before him. Then he spoke to them sternly. "Where are the Americans?" he demanded. "Gone," some of them murmured. "We could not find them." "Where have they gone? They must be near--somewhere." "To the queen--they have gone to the queen!" "Ah, yes! to the queen! Follow quickly! We go to the queen!" Raoul's words were greeted with a cheer. The men rose to their feet and all, at a signal from their leader, swept forward to the great gateway, shouting as they ran-- "To the queen! To the queen!" XVI NARVA To return to the explorers, left prostrate on the field of battle, it must be recorded that, for once in his career, Miranda, after his first taste of active fighting, and seeing how the fortunes of the day were going against them, repressed his natural impulsiveness and developed a prudence and caution that would have become a general seasoned in strategy. "For me it is not good to be here," he whispered sepulchrally to his companions as they lay face downward about him. "We cannot fight. We have no guns. We will be kill. We must go!"