CHAPTER IV.

THE TEMPLE IN THE WOODS.

The sensation experienced by Frank Reade, Jr., at that moment, was a most sickening and horrible one.

He knew that it would be easy for the puma to overtake him.

To be overtaken meant death.

But still he ran with terrific speed across the plain. The panther was close upon him, however.

But, just as it began to look bad for Frank, a cry came from the Steam Man.

Barney had been upon the watch.

He had heard the shot in the woods, and knew at once that Frank was in trouble.

He shouted to Pomp:

“Come up quick, naygur. Bejabers, the masther’s in a heap av thruble. I jist heerd his rifle go aff yender in the woods.”

‪“Golly!” gasped Pomp, as he dropped his frying pan. “What’s dat yo’ say, I’ish?”

Barney seized the throttle rein and started the Steam Man toward the woods.

It was just at the moment when Frank emerged with the lion after him.

The lion was gaining with tremendous bounds upon Frank.

But Barney set the Steam Man after him with all speed. A terrific race followed.

Pomp was at a loophole with his rifle.

Drawing a bead on the animal, he fired. Barney lashed the throttle rein and did the same.

Both shots took effect.

But they did not stay the panther’s course, though they drew a howl of pain from him.

But every moment increased Frank’s danger. He seemed certain to be overtaken.

‪“Be me sowl!” groaned Barney, in horror, ‪“I belave the divil will overthake Misther Frank. How many lives has the baste got, anyway?”

But at that moment Barney hit upon a happy idea.

By the best of good fortune Frank’s elephant rifle lay upon one of the seats.

It contained an explosive shell and was a weapon very deadly in its effects.

It did not take Barney long to make use of it.

Seizing the rifle, he sprang to a loophole. The Steam Man had gained, and was but twenty yards from the panther.

But the beast was within ten feet of Frank Reade, Jr.

Just as he made a long leap to overtake his victim Barney fired.

If ever there was a time in his life that the Celt needed nerve and accuracy of aim it was then.

And straight to the mark sped the bullet.

The explosive shell struck the panther full behind the shoulder.

It tore its way through the beast’s heart and lungs. Death was instantaneous.

But the beast’s body struck Frank and hurled him upon his face.

And there the famous inventor lay with the panther’s form upon him, with the hot blood surging over him in a stream.

Barney closed the throttle, applied the brakes, and brought the Steam Man to a halt.

Then the two faithful servitors rushed out of the cage and to Frank’s side.

But the young inventor was unhurt, and scrambled quickly to his feet as soon as the panther’s body was pulled off from him.

‪“Whurroo!” yelled Barney, in delight and triumph. “We’ve saved yez, Misther Frank, an’ if we hadn’t yez would shurely ’av’ been kilt entoirely.”

‪“Yes, I think I should,” agreed Frank. ‪“And I owe my life to you both. I shall not forget it.”

The puma was the largest of his kind that our adventurers had ever seen.

It was at the time of year that his skin was worthless, being mangy, so that it was not preserved.

Frank was quite overcome with his experience, and went on board the wagon to rest.

As darkness was at hand, it was decided to make no further exploration of the forest until morning.

Frank was more than ever convinced, however, that there were ruins in the forest.

‪“To-morrow we will cut our way through,” he declared, ‪“and I will satisfy you, my friends, that I am right.”

“A’right, Marse Frank,” agreed Pomp. “We’se open to conviction jus’ de same.”

“Bejabers, that’s right!” put in Barney.

It was seldom deemed safe to sleep outside the wagon.

So beds were made comfortably enough on the seats which ran along the sides.

Here our adventurers could sleep quite soundly. Barney and Pomp were soon in the land of dreams.

But Frank Reade, Jr., could not successfully woo the gentle goddess.

Suddenly, as he lay there in a reverie, a sudden curious manifestation caused him to start up.

A ray of something, a trifle brighter than the moonlight, glinted its radiance athwart the wire netting.

For an instant Frank was puzzled.

He rose to a sitting posture and glanced out upon the level plain.

All was plain in the moonlight out there. But no sign of life was to be seen.

Then Frank turned his gaze toward the forest, and there he caught the vivid glimmer of a light.

Certainly it was not moonlight glinting on any bright substance, but such a vivid radiance as could only be made by firelight.

Either a torch or lantern it was, and its motion and changing of base suggested that it was carried by human hands.

Frank was deeply interested.

‪“I knew it!” he muttered. “I’ll wager my life that there is a building in that forest, but I did not dream that it was inhabited.”

He watched the light intently.

It moved back and forward, and was of such size as to dispel the theory of the will-o’-the-wisp or ignis fatuus.

Once from the distance Frank fancied he heard a distant outcry.

But this he could not place reliance upon, as it might have been made by some wild beast.

But of one thing he was satisfied.

There was certainly human life and habitation in the forest. On the morrow he would learn what it meant.

He was hardly able to restrain a strong desire to go alone upon an exploring tour under cover of the night.

But sober reflection persuaded him not to do this.

It would be neither safe nor right. So Frank controlled his desire until daybreak came.

The young inventor had not slept that night.

At an early hour he aroused Barney and Pomp.

He did not tell them about the mysterious light, but bluntly informed them that he meant to invade the forest that morning.

“A’right, Marse Frank,” agreed Pomp. “Yo’ wo’d am law.”

“Bejabers, that’s so,” cried Barney.

Accordingly Frank laid out his map of procedure.

First the Man skirted the edge of the grove looking for an entrance. Failing to find this the adventurers would cut their way through the dense undergrowth.

But luckily a passage was found.

To Frank’s gratification and the surprise of Barney and Pomp, a broad paved roadway was discovered.

Flat slabs of stone composed the roadway. This was much overgrown with weeds and brush, but did not materially impede the progress of the Steam Man.

Beneath mighty overhanging trees the roadway extended for half a mile.

Then it suddenly brought the explorers out upon a wonderful scene.

Cries of surprise and admiration escaped the lips of Barney and Pomp.

“Golly, Marse Frank, yo’ was right aftah all.”

“Bejabers, that’s so.”

Frank was intently engaged in studying the scene spread before him.

He saw a strange looking building of whitest marble and mighty dimensions before him.

About the building were acres of paved courts and walls, with open gateways and overgrown with all manner of vines and vari-colored vegetation.

The building occupied a space of over an acre, and in style of architecture was not unlike some of the better class of pueblos in Mexico.

But there were richly carved balconies and hanging gardens, piazzas and porticoes, and all done in the whitest of marble.

What was stranger yet, the building did not seem to be a ruin but newly constructed and indeed not altogether finished.

There was evidence that the workmen had not been absent many hours.

Beds of fresh mortar were in the court-yard, slabs of newly cut marble were strewn about.

As the Steam Man entered the court-yard, Frank noticed this and looked for the appearance of any number of workmen.

But to his surprise they did not appear. To all appearance the temple or pueblo in the deep forest was deserted.

For some time our adventurers continued to gaze upon the wonderful building with curiosity and interest.

“Bejabers, I don’t see phwativer they’d want for to build sich a foine house in this place for,” exclaimed Barney. “I don’t undherstand it at all, at all.”

“I jes’ finks dat dis am a new race ob people dat we hab discobered, Marse Frank,” suggested Pomp.

‪“We can tell very quickly when some of them show up,” replied Frank.

‪“I wondah if dey am hostile to de white people, or to civilized people,” asked Pomp.

‪“Indeed!” replied Frank, ‪“there is every indication that these people are civilized. I wish some of them would show up.”

After an hour of patient waiting, Barney suggested that they take the liberty of exploring the place.

“I reckon that’s the best way out av it,” recommended the Celt. “An’ mebbe we can foind some av the gintlemen.”

‪“It is possible,” said Frank.

“P’r’aps they’re as good Americans as oursilves now,” rejoined Barney.

‪“No,” dissented Frank. ‪“No American would build this kind of a house.”

‪“Phwativer koind of people do yez think they are, Misther Frank?”

‪“Well,” replied the young inventor, slowly, “it is my opinion that we have made a discovery valuable to science and the world.

“Indeed it is not extravagant to assume that these people are a remnant of the original inhabitants of Yucatan who built the famous cities of Palenque and Mazendla.

‪“If so, then I shall have the greatest curiosity to see them.”

“I’se a heap ’fraid we won’t see ’em to-day, Marse Frank,” said Pomp.

Another hour passed slowly.

Still the mysterious workmen did not return.

At the expiration of this time Frank decided to take a look about the premises.

The Steam Man was left carefully adjusted, and the three adventurers set out across the court-yard.

Of course they were heavily armed and did not intend to go out of sight of the Steam Man.

In crossing the court-yard they came upon a wonderful bit of work.

This was a square-shaped basin cut in whitest marble, and occupied by a bubbling spring with water as pure and clear as crystal.

In this water were fish of a peculiar green and vivid blue color, of the gold fish species evidently.

It was certainly a beautiful spectacle.

Pomp tasted of the water.

It was as pure and cool as could well be desired, and far superior to the water usually found in that part of Central America.

Passing by this they entered the main hall of the pueblo, if such it could be called.

It was a massive chamber, high roofed, with polished columns.

It was a perfect wonder to the explorers, who could not conceal their amazement.

But at one end of the hall was a strange polished dais.

Towards this Barney made his way. It seemed made of some peculiar kind of beautiful stone like agate.

Barney sprang upon it.

‪“Bejabers!” he cried, “av this ain’t the place phwere they’ll set their idol. If iver——”

He did not finish his speech. In a twinkling a thrilling thing happened. The polished stone, owing to some mysterious and inexplicable agency, turned and Barney vanished like a flash.