"It certainly was," said Jerry, with a laugh.
"Yes, of course. Well, seeing that the only thing to do was to keepmy grip, I kept it and yelled for help. I guess the lion was as badlyscared as I was first, when it felt me grab its tail. After it found Iwasn't going to let go it got mad, I guess."
"It acted so, at any rate," put in Bob.
"Yes, of course," went on the professor. "Well, anyhow, I knew if I didlet go I would be clawed to pieces, so there I hung, like the man on thetail of the mad bull, not daring to let go. Then you came, and you knowthe rest."
"Are you sure you're not hurt?" asked Ned.
"Sure," was the reply. "I was too lively for the lion. I'm sorry thetail didn't turn out to be a snake, though, for if it had been I'm sureit would have been a rare specimen."
Leaving the dead body of the animal where it had fallen, the travelerswent back to their auto. The camp utensils were packed away, and soon,with Ned at the steering wheel, the machine was running off the milesthat separated the adventurers from the hidden city they hoped to find.
They traveled until nearly nightfall, and came to no village orsettlement. It began to look as if they would have to camp in the open,when, just as darkness was approaching, they came to a small adobe hutin the midst of a sugar-cane plantation.
"Maybe we can stop here overnight," said Jerry.
An aged Mexican and his wife came to the door of the cabin to see thestrange fire-wagon pass. Speaking to them in Spanish, the professorasked if he and his companions could get beds for the night. At firstthe man seemed to hesitate, but the rattling of a few coins in Bob'spockets soon changed his mind, and he bade the travelers enter.
The woman quickly got a fairly good meal, and then, after sitting aboutfor an hour or so and talking over the events of the day, the travelerssought their beds. They found themselves in one apartment, containingtwo small, cane couches, neither one hardly big enough for a singleoccupant.
"However, it's better than sleeping out of doors, where the mosquitoescan carry you away," said Ned.
Contrary to their expectations, the travelers slept good, the onlytrouble being the fleas, which were particularly numerous. But by thistime they had become somewhat used to this Mexican pest.
While the professor and the boys were taking a well-earned rest, quite adifferent scene was being enacted by Noddy Nixon and his companions.
Following a half-formed plan he had in mind, Noddy had hung on the trailof the Motor Boys. He had followed them from the inn where they laststopped, and now he was camped out, with his followers, about five milesfrom the adobe hut. But Jerry and his friends did not know this.
"Isn't it pretty near time you told us what you are going to do, Noddy?"asked Jack Pender, as he piled some wood on the camp-fire.
"I'll tell you," spoke Noddy. "We're going to follow them until theylocate their mine, and then we're going to stake a claim right neartheirs. They're not going to get all the gold or silver in this countrythe way they did in Arizona."
"Are you sure it's a mine they're after?" asked Bilette, puffing at hiscigarette.
"Of course," replied Noddy. "What else could it be? Didn't you hearthat's what they came for?"
"I don't know," went on the slick Mexican. "I only asked for information.If it's a mine they're after we'll need a bigger force than we have torun things."
"Where can we get help?" asked Noddy.
"I'll show you," replied Vasco. He put his fingers to his lips andwhistled shrilly.
An instant later half a dozen Mexicans stepped from the shadow of thetrees and stood in a line, in the glare of the fire.
"Well, you didn't lose any time over it," observed Noddy. "Where didthey come from, and who are they?" and the bully looked a little uneasy.
"They came from the greenwood," replied Vasco Bilette, "for the forestis their home. And they are friends of mine, so now both your questionsare answered."
"If they're friends of yours I s'pose it's all right," went on Noddy.
"Well, rather!" drawled Vasco, lighting another cigarette from the stumpof his last one.
"Will they help us?" went on Noddy.
Bilette addressed something in Spanish to his friends who had somysteriously appeared.
"_Si, senor_," they exclaimed as one man, bowing to Noddy.
"Queer you happened to have 'em on hand," said Noddy, accepting theanswer to his question, for he had learned a little Spanish, and knewthat "si" meant yes.
"I anticipated we might need them," said Bilette. "So I told them to beon hand and in waiting to-night. They are very prompt."
"Then we'll join forces with them and show Jerry Hopkins and his crowdthat he can't have everything his own way," growled Noddy. "Come on,we'll follow them now and see what they are doing," and Noddy seemedready to start off.
"Not to-night; it's time to turn in," objected Bilette. "We'll beginearly in the morning."
He spoke once more to the six men, who disappeared into the forest asquietly as they had come. Then Bilette, wrapping himself up in hiscloak, went to sleep.
The others followed his example, and soon the camp was quiet. Noddy nowhad his plans in working order, and he thought, with satisfaction, ofthe revenge he would have.
CHAPTER XIII.
ON THE TRAIL.
"Come, come, boys! Are you going to sleep all day?" exclaimed ProfessorSnodgrass, the next morning.
His cheery voice awoke the others, and they sat up on the hard cots.
"Where are we? Oh, yes, I remember now!" said Bob. "I thought I was backat the gold mine."
"I dreamed I was back in Cresville," added Jerry. "I wonder how all thefolks are. We must write some letters home."
After breakfast, which the Mexican and his wife served in an appetizingstyle, the travelers decided to delay their start an hour or two, andspend the time writing. Professor Snodgrass said he had no one tocorrespond with, so he wandered off with his net and specimen box, butthe boys got out paper, pens and ink, and were soon busy scratching away.
In about two hours the professor returned, having collected a number ofspecimens and escaped getting into any difficulties or dangers for once.
"We'd better start," he called. "I'm anxious to get to that undergroundcity. If that turns out half as well as I expect, our fortunes are made."
"Will it be better than the gold mine?" asked Bob, with a grin.
"The gold mine!" exclaimed the naturalist. "Why, I had rather reach thisburied city than have half a dozen gold mines!"
He was very enthusiastic and seemed anxious to get on with the journey.The automobile was made ready, and, bidding their hosts good-by, thetravelers were again under way.
As they progressed the road became rougher and more difficult ofpassage. In places it was so narrow that the automobile could barely betaken past the thick growth of foliage on either side.
The forest fairly teemed with animal life, while the flitting ofbrilliantly colored birds through the trees made the woods look as if arainbow had burst and fallen from the sky. Parrots and macaws, gay intheir vari-tinted plumage, called shrilly as the puffing auto invadedtheir domains.
It was necessary to run the car slowly. The professor fretted at thelack of speed, but nothing could be done about it, and, as Jerry said,it was better to be slow and sure. So they went on for several miles.
About noon the travelers came to the edge of a broad river, which cut intwo the road they had been following.
"Here's a problem," said Jerry, bringing the car to a stop. "How are wegoing to get over that? No bridge and no ferry in sight."
"Perhaps it isn't as deep as it looks," suggested the professor.
"Tell you what!" exclaimed Ned. "We'll all go in for a swim and then wecan tell whether it's too deep to run the auto across."
His plan was voted a good one, and soon the boys and Professor Snodgrasswere splashing about in the water. Their bath was a refreshing one.Incidentally, Ned found out that he could wade across, the stream in oneplace comin
g only to his knees, while the bottom was of firm sand.
While the travelers were splashing about in the cool water, they mightnot have felt so unconcerned had they been able to look through thethick screen of foliage on the bank of the stream, and see what wastaking place there.
Several dark-complexioned men, in company with Vasco Bilette, haddismounted from their horses and were watching the bathers.
"Well, I'm glad they decided to stop," remarked Vasco. "Our horses aretired from following their trail. They will probably camp for the nighton the other bank, for they would be foolish to go farther when theycan find good water and fodder."
"You forget they do not have a horse to consider," spoke one of theMexicans. "Their machine does not eat."
"No more it does," said Bilette. "But they cannot go much farther. Ifnecessary, we can cross the river and get at them."
"Is that Noddy boy and his puff-puff carriage to join us?" asked one ofthe crowd of Mexicans.
"That is the plan," replied Vasco. "He thought we could follow the trailon horses better than he could in the automobile, because that makes anoise, and those we are pursuing might hear it. So Noddy has kept aboutfive miles behind. As for us, you know that we have been only a milein the rear, thanks to the slowness with which they had to run theirmachine.
"Ah, the _Americanos_ have finished their bath. Here they come back,"went on Vasco, as the boys and the professor began wading toward theshore, near which they had left their auto.
Suddenly the professor set up a great splashing and made a grab underthe water.
"I've got it! I've got it!" he yelled, holding something aloft.
"Got what?" asked Jerry.
"A rare specimen of the green-clawed crab," was the answer, and thenaturalist held up to view a wiggling crawfish. "It bit my big toe, butI grabbed it before it got away. This was indeed a profitable bath forme. That specimen is worth one hundred dollars."
"If there are crabs in there I don't see why there aren't fish," spokeNed. "I'm going to try, anyhow."
Quickly dressing, he got out a line and hook, cut a pole and, with agrasshopper for bait, threw in. In three minutes he had landed a finebig fish, and several others followed in succession.
"I guess we'll have one good meal, anyhow," observed Ned.
"Shall we stay on this side and eat, or cross the river?" asked theprofessor.
"Might as well stay here," was Jerry's opinion.
So the portable stove was made ready and soon the appetizing smell offrying fish filled the air. The travelers made a good meal, and VascoBilette and his gang, hiding among the trees, smoked their cigarettesand wished they had a portion.
"But never mind, when we have the _Americanos_ at our mercy we will bethe ones who eat, and they will starve," was how Vasco consoled himself.
Dinner over, the travelers took their places in the auto, and, withJerry at the wheel, the passage of the river was begun. Following thecourse Ned had tried, the machine was taken safely over the stream, andrun up the opposite bank. No sooner had it got on solid ground, however,than, with a loud noise, one of the rear tires burst.
"Here's trouble!" exclaimed Ned, as Jerry brought the car to a suddenstop.
"Might have been worse," commented Bob. "It might have blown out whilewe were in the water, and that would have been no joke."
"Right you are, Chunky," said Jerry. "Well, I suppose we may as wellcamp here for a spell; at least until the repairs are made."
He set to work to put in a new tube, Ned and Bob assisting him, whilethe professor wandered off after any stray specimens that might exist.He found several insects that he said were rare ones.
The fixing of the tire proved a harder job than Jerry had anticipated.It was several hours before it was repaired to suit him, and by then thesun was getting low.
"What do you say that we camp here for the night?" proposed Ned. "Wecan't get on much farther anyhow, and this is a nice place. It's moreopen than in the forest."
This was voted a good plan, so a fire was made and a camp staked out.From their side of the river Vasco and his companions viewed thesepreparations with satisfaction.
"They cannot escape us now," said the leader of the Mexicans. "We caneasily cross the river after dark and get close to them. I wish Noddywould hurry up."
At that instant there was the sound of wheels in the road, to the leftof which Vasco and his men were concealed. In a little while Noddy, withDalsett, Berry and Pender, rode up in the machine.
"Where are they?" asked Noddy, eagerly.
Vasco pointed through the screen of bushes to the other side of thebank, where the professor and boys were encamped.
"Good!" exclaimed Nixon. "We'll pay them a visit to-night."
All unconscious of the nearness of their foes, the Cresville boys,having had a good supper, sat talking about the camp-fire. The professorwas engaged in sorting over the specimens he had gathered during the day.
At this same time Noddy and Dalsett, with Vasco and the six Mexicans thelatter had provided, were preparing to cross the river, under cover ofthe darkness.
They did not undress, but waded in as they were, the gleaming camp-fireon the other side serving as a beacon to guide them.
"Softly!" cautioned Vasco, as the nine crawled up on the opposite bank,and began creeping toward the campers.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE ANGRY MEXICANS.
The professor and the boys were thinking of getting out their blanketsand turning in for the night. They sat in a circle about the camp-fire,talking over the events of the day.
Meanwhile, creeping nearer and nearer, Noddy, Vasco and their gang wereencircling the camp of Jerry and his friends. They came so close thatthey could hear the conversation between the professor and the boys.
Now, if the Mexicans whom Vasco had engaged to assist him had notunderstood something of the English language, or if chance had soarranged matters that they had not come near enough to overhear the talkof Jerry and his comrades, this story might have had a different ending.
As it was, fate so willed matters that Noddy and his gang got close tothe camp in time to hear the professor remark:
"Well, boys, it will not be many more days, I hope, before we reach theburied city we are searching for. And when we do I will be the proudestman in the world. Think of discovering a buried town of ancient Mexico!Why, half the college professors would give their heads to be in myplace."
"But we haven't found the city yet," said Ned.
"No; but I am sure we are on the right road," went on the professor. "Iam sure of it, not only because of what the old Mexican magician toldus, but from the map my friend left me. See, here it is," and he drewout the paper with the rude drawing on.
The boys drew close to look the map over once more.
"There seem to be two roads, one branching off to the right," remarkedJerry, pointing to the map. "And it looks as if there was some sort ofan image at the parting of the ways."
"There is!" exclaimed the professor. "I never noticed it before, butthere is the laughing serpent, as sure as you're a foot high!"
"We'll reach the buried city all right," spoke Bob. "I only hope wedon't come upon it too unexpectedly."
"Well, the Mexican prophesied we would find it sooner than we thought,"observed Ned. "But he may not have meant all he said. Anyhow, I'm sleepyand I'm going to turn in."
The others followed his example of wrapping themselves up in theirblankets, and soon their deep breathing told they were on the road toslumberland.
Meanwhile, the Mexicans who had listened to the above conversation weremuch disturbed. Though they did not understand all that had been said,they caught enough to indicate to them that the boys and the professorwere not on a search for gold or silver mines, the only things in whichthe Mexicans were interested.
There were angry but low-voiced mutterings among the Mexicans. Soonthey became angry, talked among themselves and grew quite excited. Theytalked rapidly to Vasco, in Spanish.
"What does all this mean, Noddy?" asked Bilette. "Have you fooled us?"
"No, no, it's all right!" exclaimed Nixon. "Their talk of a buried cityis only a bluff to throw us off the track."
"Hardly, when they don't know we are following them," said Vasco. "I'mafraid that's not true, Noddy. Better own up and say you guessed at thewhole thing."
"I didn't guess!" exclaimed Noddy.
"Too much talk! Not enough do!" exclaimed one of the Mexicans, stridingforward and pushing Noddy to one side. Noddy resented this, and drewback his hand as if to strike the Mexican. The latter, quick as a flash,drew an ugly-looking knife.
"Put that up!" exclaimed Vasco, noting, in the darkness, his companion'sact. "We don't want to begin fighting among ourselves."
He stepped between Noddy and the Mexican, and pushed them away from eachother. The Mexican muttered angrily, and his companions could be heardgrowling over the outcome of the affair. They could appreciate a gold orsilver mine. A buried city was nothing to them, and they saw no use inpursuing the trail further. They were angry at Noddy for having broughtthem thus far on a foolish errand.
"Now keep quiet," advised Bilette. "The first thing you know you'll havethem all aroused and then there'll be trouble."
"_Diablo!_" exclaimed one of the Mexicans, beneath his breath. "Are wefools or children? We leave the city and we travel for days through thewilderness. We are told we are to get great riches. Santa Maria! Is thismoney? Is this gold or silver? The crazy _Americanos_ talk of nothingbut lost cities. What care I for lost cities? What care any of us forlost cities? I hate lost cities!"