They were as good as in the hands of Quizquiz, their enemy, who did not know the meaning of the words fair play or mercy. He would come to them soon with his hordes of followers, overwhelm them, and gloat over them as a beast of prey might do over its victim, exulting over their helplessness and over his own unlimited power. At last his day had arrived when he could repay them for the humiliation they had caused him during the athletic contests, where they had made such a superior showing against him and the other picked youths of the nation. And their escape--that rankled, too. As they thought of these things they grew pale and shuddered. There could be but one outcome of the misadventure, and they knew only too well what that end should be. CHAPTER VII IN THE TIGER’S LAIR With each passing minute the helplessness of their position was more firmly driven home upon Ted and Stanley. They expected momentarily to be attacked by the horde of Indians, many of whom they had seen from above. But not a human being came within range of their vision. “What fools we were,” Ted observed dejectedly, “not to let well enough alone. We _would_ come back, and now----” “That is only human nature, I guess. Never satisfied and always eager to take a chance. Well, we are like the pitcher that went to the well once too often.” “Why don’t they come after us, I wonder!” “Superstitious, perhaps. But they will be here in due time. Count on that!” Ted changed the unpleasant subject. “Whatever could have happened that the engine died that way? Did I neglect to fill the second tank?” “No. It’s full. There is something mysterious about it. We might try to find out what the trouble is while we are waiting.” They examined the tank for air-leaks that would reduce the pressure to the point where the fuel would not feed. But the gauge registered five pounds--more than enough. Then they began tracing the slender feed-pipe from the tank to the carburetor. Almost immediately the trouble was found. Some one had disconnected one of the joints and had stopped up the pipe with soap, so of course the gasolene could not flow. “We have our friends, the lieutenants, to thank for that,” Stanley said bitterly. “It’s hard to believe that any one could do such a thing.” “They did a good job. I guess we shall never stand in their way again.” “If we had only brought a spare stick there would be a good chance of getting out of here. We could make the change in a little while and leave before any one had the courage to come near us.” “But the fact is we did not bring a spare stick. We knew better than that, too. Luck has been against us from the very start; and it’s getting worse.” “We might rig up the wireless outfit and send out a call for help. That is the only thing I can think of,” Stanley suggested without enthusiasm. “It can do no harm, anyway.”