“I thought of that. But a forced landing in a mountainous country would have meant our finish anyway. So what is the difference?” “I guess you are right, but if I had known it I should not have attempted to fly a single inch until we had taken it out. It is a good thing you did not tell me about it.” “What shall we do with it?” “Get rid of it as soon as we can.” “But if any one from the valley should come here he would find it,” said Ted. “I have an idea. Let’s mark the boxes for Quizquiz and leave a note saying that if he hits them with his golden sceptre he will see all his forefathers; then shove the boxes through the hole under the wall.” “It would serve him right, but they cannot read. Besides, we do not want to kill any one. We shall have to hide it or throw it into the lake.” “No, not throw it into the lake,” Ted said, with a peculiar shudder. “We are not out of here yet; we might need it!” “Are you predicting more trouble? Hasn’t enough happened to us already?” “I don’t know. But something tells me not to throw it away. I feel queer; it might be my imagination, but it is true just the same.” “All right; do anything you like with it. But we will take it out of the ship this very minute; and the other things, too. We cannot be bothered with useless baggage.” They unlashed and unloaded the boxes. Then they ate a light lunch. “We can hide everything in one of the smaller caves,” Ted decided. “No one will go prowling around in any of them. And if--I almost said when--we need the things we shall know where to find them.” When they had disposed of the packages they prepared to depart. It was mid-afternoon and they must lose no more time in returning to the field. The colonel, no doubt, was anxious about them already. In order to take off properly they were compelled to head toward the great wall because a current of air came from that direction. But the distance was sufficient to enable them to clear it by an ample margin. They also wanted to circle above the valley a few times for a farewell glimpse of the hiding-place of the last of the once powerful Incan nation, for soon they should leave it, never to return. With a steadily increasing roar of the engine the ship raced over the ground, and when it had gained enough headway Stanley pulled back the stick and the plane leaped into the air. In a moment they had cleared the wall by a hundred feet. Now they were skimming above the depression concealing the Inca’s stronghold.