"Ver' dam' smooth!" emphasized Wabi, without a suggestion of humor in
his voice.

"What does it mean?" asked Rod.

"It means," continued Wabigoon, "that this old stub has for a good
many years been used! by something as a sort of stairway in and out of
this chasm! Now if it were a bear, there would be claw marks. If it
were a lynx, the surface of the stub would be cut into shreds. Any
kind of animal would have left his mark behind, and no animal would
have put this polish on it!"

"Then what in the world--"

Rod did not finish. Mukoki lifted his shoulders to a level with his
chin, and Wabi whistled as he looked straight at him.

"Not a hard guess, eh?"

"You mean--"

"That it's a man! Only the arms and legs of a man going up and down
that stub hundreds and thousands of times could have worn it so
smooth! Now, can you guess who that man is?"

In a flash the answer shot into Rod's brain. He understood now why
this old stub had drawn his companions away from their search for
gold, and he felt the flush of excitement go out of his own cheeks,
and an involuntary thrill pass up his back.