登陆注册
5234100000054

第54章 CHAPTER XXVI. DOWN AMONG THE DEAD.(1)

Ixtli spoke with a degree of earnestness which left no room for doubt, even if the young man's own keen sense of hearing had not given warning but an instant later.

Ominous sounds came from the entrance, which had served them but so brief a time gone by, and Bruno knew that, even if they had escaped being seen while thus attempting to win such a gruesome refuge, the possibility of their having elected just such a line of flight had occurred to some of the redskins.

Gillespie heard the heavy doors open, then clang to again. He was fairly confident that some of the Aztecs had entered, although as yet the utter darkness hindered further recognition.

"What next, Ixtli?" he whispered, lips almost touching the face of his young guide, as they stood close together in the mirk.

"They can't take me alive! Is it fight, or--""No fight yet," gently breathed the Aztec in turn. "Dey look, dat not make sure find. Dey try see; we try not see all time.

Dey come, we go,--like dis!"

Catching a hand within his own clasp, Ixtli led Bruno away in that utter darkness, seemingly well acquainted with the lay of the ground, although it quickly became evident that there must be more than one direct passage. Bruno felt convinced that there were other chambers turning at right angles to their present course, though it might have bothered the young man to give entirely satisfactory reasons for such belief.

Ixtli did not flee fast nor far, in that first spurt, pausing shortly to turn face towards the rear, a low, musical chuckle coming through his lips.

"Dey come look, got no eyes for see in dark," he explained, barely loud enough for Bruno to catch his meaning. "We play fool dem all; dat be fun; heap fun all time over!"Ixtli was scarcely as precise of speech while under the influence of excitement as when he had ample time in which to pick and choose his words; but there was little room for mistaking his meaning, which, after all, is fairly sufficient.

But this time the young brave was in error, for only a few moments later both fugitives caught sight of a dim light in hurried motion far towards the entrance to these underground crypts. That warned them of added peril, and Ixtli's chuckle died abruptly away.

"They'll fetch us now," grimly muttered Bruno, shaking his fairly athletic shoulders and fingering the knife at his belt as though making preparations for an inevitable struggle. "All right.

They may kill, but I'll furnish some red paint for my tombstone, anyway!"It may be doubted whether Ixtli fully appreciated this conclusion, yet he divined something of what was spoken, and made swift response:

"No kill yet. Dey look, we hide. Mebbe not find. Mebbe play fool all over--yes!""Where can we hide that lights won't ferret us out, though? If a fellow might only have the same advantage; here in this darkness I'm not worth a sick kitten!"Just a bit disgustedly came the words, but Bruno was not giving over in weak despair. No matter how vast the odds might show against him, he would put up a gallant fight as long as he could lift his hand or strike a blow.

Still, he was by no means anxious for the crisis to arrive. He would far rather run than fight, under existing circumstances;but whither, and how?

Ixtli took it upon himself to solve the perplexing enigma, in a whisper bidding his white brother follow with as little sound as might be, once more hurrying away through the gloomy blackness, which was by no means rendered more agreeable to Bruno by that fleeting glimpse of the dead men's bones.

There was little room left for doubting the truth. Their presence in the death-cells surely was more than suspected, judging from the actions of yonder redskins, who flashed the light over and into each angle and corner, each niche and jog, where a human being might possibly seek concealment.

They were not so many in number, but still a larger force than could well be met with success by two youths, even granting that Ixtli would turn lethal weapons against his own people, which Bruno felt was by no means a settled fact.

For some little time the young men kept without that limited circle of light, watching each movement made by the searchers, and at the same time taking care that none of the little party stole a dangerous march upon them by hastening in advance of the lights.

Ixtli apparently enjoyed the affair, much as a child might a successful game of I-spy, for he emitted occasional chuckles, and let fall soft whispers which, if caught by other ears, certainly would not have deeply benefited the fugitives when captured.

同类推荐
  • 经络考

    经络考

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Heartbreak House

    Heartbreak House

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 赠徐安宜

    赠徐安宜

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 听月楼

    听月楼

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 僧伽和尚欲入涅槃说六度经

    僧伽和尚欲入涅槃说六度经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 仙旅征途

    仙旅征途

    世人都晓神仙好,可在天道的运转中,神和人又有什么区别?世间万物又有什么区别?传说中的主角光环不过是命运无聊的安排,当你认为逆天而行时,不过是顺天而行罢了。满纸荒唐言,一把辛酸泪。都云作者痴,谁解其中味?
  • 青蛙凶猛

    青蛙凶猛

    罗宾穿越成了一只青蛙,但他发现这不是一只普通的青蛙,而是青蛙王子。除了青蛙王子,还有白雪公主,睡美人,小红帽,丑小鸭,三只小猪…… 这是一个童话故事大乱炖的世界。
  • The Light of Western Stars

    The Light of Western Stars

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 将青春活成传奇

    将青春活成传奇

    这是一本致力于探寻和聆听的心灵圣经,只写给不甘平庸相信奇迹的人间跋涉者们。它将见证在经济大潮金钱至上的今天,我们的社会仍然需要那些仰望星空怀揣梦想的追梦之士。只要你读完这本书,就不难发现作者朴实真切的博大感情和追求真善美的坚定信念。在这物欲横流的时代,这样的文学追梦人实在不多见。该书不仅激励自己,更激励那些跟我们一样迷茫的人。告诉自己:即使再艰苦的人生,一个人也可以坚强地活下去,并可以把青春活成一种传奇……
  • 青少年不可不知的中外艺术常识

    青少年不可不知的中外艺术常识

    李超主编的《青少年不可不知的中外艺术常识》涵盖了中外艺术常识方 面的知识;作为青少年课外读物,与课本的枯燥单调相比,《青少年不可不知的中外艺术常识》中的知识点言筒意赅、通俗易懂,易于被肯少年朋友们 接受。
  • 不当狗的日子

    不当狗的日子

    安心豚失业了!穿越是种病,得治~治得好,就在現代当神級业务员;治不好,就穿越時空拯救异世界安心豚得了一种一睡着就会穿越的病。好在两个世界都有他的好兄弟~米汉堡和咕咕噜这是一个交插进行的故事,现实v.s.虚幻安心豚和米汉堡的神级保险业务之旅加上安心豚和咕咕噜异世界穿越奇幻之旅再加上一点点「佛法」希望能带给人信心与希望!
  • 老婆乖乖,不准离婚!

    老婆乖乖,不准离婚!

    初见,他倒在她家门口,抓住她脚腕。她吓得大叫——鬼啊!他虚弱求救——救我!她把他捡回家,原以为多了个人劳役,结果——你这个白痴,连系鞋带都不会你穿什么鞋啊?!你这个笨蛋,谁让你把垃圾扫得满地都是的?!你这个蠢蛋,谁让你将整包洗衣粉撒进去了?!就算失忆了,也不可能不会穿衣服扣纽扣,分不清盐跟糖,洗碗打破碗,煮饭差点把厨房烧了吧?她很想问他到底会什么?!他面无表情摇头,什么都不会。她就日了,什么不好捡,竟然捡了个生活白痴回来?!当不成主人,却还要当仆人,她要哭了!★☆★但是这个白痴,在她被人欺负的时候,挡在了她的面前,在她生日那天亲自给她煮了一碗长寿面,在她孤独寂寥哭泣的时候,将她紧紧抱在怀里,可后来,她才发现,原来他什么都记得。再见,他是城堡里高高在上的王子,而她,依旧是市井里的灰姑娘。而这一次,尼玛!为什么她还是要当他的仆人?!而且还是贴身的?!不!她才不干!灰姑娘也是有尊严的,不是他说什么她就干什么!不干?他直接将她绑进民政局!光明正大的要她当他的贴身生活助理,简称老婆!
  • 天荒帝庭

    天荒帝庭

    重生天荒世界,王轩剑挑天下,败尽群雄。当他登临九天十地之巅,建神朝,立帝庭,诸天皆要俯首,更何况是家里那个爱捣蛋的小狐妖?
  • 猜一猜我是谁

    猜一猜我是谁

    她总是俏皮的捂着他的眼睛对他说猜猜我是谁,他有时能猜对,而有时却猜错人,他伤她的心,她不住在他心里,而她却努力要往他心里去,而当他车祸失明,当她再一次捂着他的眼睛,是那么的不自信而又有些难过,这场爱恋到底又有着什么样的结局,有着什么样的真相,是悲又是喜。
  • 庶女谋嫁之极品王妃

    庶女谋嫁之极品王妃

    穿越成庶出的庶出,在那复杂残酷的世家名门里求生存,文九姐只能谨小慎微的活着。只是为什么,她都如此低调了,却还依然逃不开这帮子古人的倾轧、设计、坑害……哎,既然逃避不开、退缩不了,那也只能迎难而上,努力去争得属于自己的那片天了,在这锦绣骷髅的深深宅门里拓出一条光明大道来。“九丫头,让你母亲多给你裁两件新衣吧,也到了说亲的年纪了。”正当九姐儿沉浸在向着古代成功人士发展的美梦中时,路人甲祖母的话犹如晴天霹雳将她唤醒。说……亲?她禁不住愕然。可是……她才十三岁呀,不过……貌似古代的女人确实都早婚。改变不了,也只好入乡随俗。不过好在她有方向有目标,立志要在这种马到处是、小妾满天飞的男尊女卑社会里养成一个忠犬型男来,于是九姐儿的理想又由谋生变成了谋嫁……商户之子,俊逸文雅,家道殷实,对她一见钟情。皇家世子,文武双全,贵不可言,对她再见倾心。高门庶子,一表人才,前途无量,也是她的忠粉……嗯,这么多,挑花了眼,到底哪个才好?“呵呵,还是本宫帮你挑吧……”巾帼不让须眉的杨皇后冷笑着登场……呃……“请问王爷属什么?”“马!”酷王爷惜字如金。我说呢……九姐儿扶额。考验技术的时刻到了——……