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diff --git a/44534.txt b/44534.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6b59e0a..0000000 --- a/44534.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9106 +0,0 @@ - A TRIP TO MARS - - - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - - -Title: A Trip to Mars -Author: Fenton Ash -Release Date: December 28, 2013 [EBook #44534] -[Last updated: December 20, 2020] - -Language: English -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A TRIP TO MARS *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - - -[Illustration: They returned his greeting as heartily as it was -given.--_Front_. PAGE 91.] - - - - - A TRIP TO MARS - - - By - - FENTON ASH - - Author of "The Radium Seekers" - - - - WITH SIX COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS - - by - - W. H. C. Groome - - - - LONDON: 38 Soho Square, W. - W. & R. CHAMBERS, LIMITED - EDINBURGH: 339 High Street - Philadelphia: J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - 1909 - - - - - Edinburgh: - Printed by W. & R. Chambers, Limited. - - - - - *PREFACE.* - - -In the case of my former book--my first written for young readers--I -inserted a preface stating at some length my reasons for taking up the -writing of stories of the kind. In it I pointed out that I had -endeavoured to combine amusement with a little wholesome instruction; -and that what might at first sight appear to be mere irresponsible -flights of fanciful imagination had, in reality, in all cases some -quasi-scientific foundation. - -Doubtless such a preface is unusual in a work of fiction, and even more -so in one intended chiefly for boys; but the result proved that its -intention was understood and appreciated. I should show myself -ungrateful indeed if I omitted, at the first opportunity, to record my -deep sense of the kindly sympathy and approval with which that preface -and the whole book were received by those reviewers--and they were -many--who favoured my work with a notice. - -In this, my second attempt in the same direction, I am conscious that I -have set myself a difficult task, for it is not an easy matter to give -verisimilitude to a story of a visit to another planet about which we -necessarily know so little. Yet astronomy as a study is so fascinating, -its mysteries and possibilities are so wonderful, so boundless, its -influences so elevating and ennobling, that little apology is needed for -any effort to attract the attention of youthful readers to it by making -it the subject of a romance. - -Amongst other difficulties the story-writer here meets with, by no means -the least confronts him when he is called upon to decide which of -various theories put forward by different scientists he shall adopt as a -starting-point. Mars, for instance, may have an atmosphere which is like -ours, or one that is either thinner or denser, or it may have no -atmosphere at all. As to this nothing is known with certainty, and the -most learned authorities differ one from another. In these -circumstances, I have adopted the supposition which seems best suited to -my story--namely, that the air there may be denser than it is on the -surface of our globe; but I do not wish to be understood as asserting it -as a fact. The same remark applies to the assumption that diamonds or -other precious stones do not exist naturally in Mars. In regard to -these two points, I have felt it may be allowable, as children say, to -'make believe' a little in forming a groundwork upon which to build up a -story. As to the rest, I have refrained, in deference to the known -prejudices of young people, from interjecting constant scientific -explanations in the course of the narrative. Only sufficient has been -introduced here and there to justify the hope that none will sit down to -its perusal without getting up a little the wiser. - -We are all of us, as Sir Isaac Newton so aptly yet reverently expressed -it, 'only as children picking up pebbles on the seashore while the great -ocean of knowledge lies stretched out before us.' - -I shall be well satisfied if, in addition to affording pleasure to -youthful readers, I enable them to pick up incidentally even so much as -a few grains of the sand which lies beside the pebbles upon that -wondrous, glorious shore. - -THE AUTHOR. - - - - - *CONTENTS.* - - -CHAPTER - - I. THE FALL OF THE GREAT METEORITE - II. WHAT GERALD SAW - III. STRANGE VISITORS - IV. GERALD CARRIED OFF - V. KING IVANTA - VI. THE KING'S OFFER - VII. OFF ON A TRIP TO MARS - VIII. A NARROW ESCAPE - IX. ARMEATH'S SECRET - X. CAPTURED BY A COMET - XI. 'WELCOME TO MARS!' - XII. PRINCE ALONDRA - XIII. THE PALACE IN THE CLOUDS - XIV. TOM CLINCH'S STATEMENT - XV. HUNTING THE GREAT MARS EAGLE - XVI. IN DIRE PERIL - XVII. LESSONS IN FLYING - XVIII. A ROYAL PROGRESS - XIX. A DARING PLOT - XX. THE DEATH POOL - XXI. A SECRET TREASURE-HOUSE - XXII. MALTO - XXIII. A FOUL DEN - XXIV. AT THE PAVILION - XXV. AGRANDO THROWS OFF THE MASK - XXVI. THE WIRELESS MESSAGE - XXVII. A DESPERATE VENTURE - XXVIII. SAILING ON THE STORM-WIND - XXIX. ATTACKED IN THE DARK - XXX. CAPTURED - XXXI. AT HOME IN A VOLCANO - XXXII. IVANTA A FUGITIVE - XXXIII. A QUEER HUNT - XXXIV. A NIGHT EXPEDITION - XXXV. HOW IVANTA GAINED A FLEET - XXXVI. THE OLD WELL - XXXVII. THE FIGHT FOR THE STRONGHOLD -XXXVIII. A GREAT AERIAL BATTLE - XXXIX. THE END OF THE STRUGGLE - XL. CONCLUSION - - - - - *LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.* - - -[Transcriber's note: In the source book (a reprint), the illustrations -were printed in black and white, not in colour as indicated on the title -page.] - - -They returned his greeting as heartily as it was given . . . -_Frontispiece_. - -He fell backwards upon the floor - -There was a flash of light, and a sharp, crackling sound - -The wing drooped, and the flier fell heavily to the ground (missing from -source book) - -They were then blindfolded, and the march resumed - -The assailant was lifted high in the air and flung down with terrible -force - - - - - *A TRIP TO MARS.* - - - - *CHAPTER I.* - - *THE FALL OF THE GREAT METEORITE.* - - -'What a magnificent night! What a scene! Jack, old man, I think you -will have to go in to supper without me and leave me to myself. It -seems a sort of sacrilege to go indoors--to exchange the moon's -beautiful light for the miserable glimmer of a little oil-lamp, and this -invigorating air off the sea for the smell of paraffin oil. Ugh!' - -'You're a queer chap, Gerald; as dreamy, at times, as any girl, I -declare! You amuse me vastly when you take on these sudden sentimental -fits. When you are in this mood no stranger would ever imagine you were -the same go-ahead, muscular young Christian you can prove yourself to be -at other times.' - -'Yes, I suppose I'm a bit of a dreamer, Jack. I 've been told it so many -times that I fancy there must be something in it. Yet "While you sleep, -then am I awake"----you know the quotation.' - -'Faith! I believe you there, Gerald. I believe you were cut out for a -night-bird!' - -'No, no; now you 've got hold of the wrong end of the stick. It isn't -that I prefer the night to the day; it is simply that by day one cannot -see the stars, and one loses touch with the marvellous thoughts they -inspire. Look at the sky overhead now! Look at those little shining -points of light, and think how that they are all worlds such as ours is, -or was, or will be! Imagine what it would be like if we could sail up -amongst them from this old earth of ours--if we could roam at will -through space, stopping here and calling there upon those which are -inhabited--as I feel assured some must be. What sights we should see! -What wonders we should encounter! Ah, think of it!' - -'I'd rather think just now of having a bit of supper,' remarked the -practical-minded Jack, with a yawn. 'And I'm going in to get it too; -so, are you coming with me, or are you not?' - -This talk took place upon a headland of a lonely island in the Southern -Seas. A tropical moon cast its wondrous radiance over everything -around, shimmering upon the water, and causing the whole island to -appear as though floating in an ocean of molten silver. There was just -wind enough now and then to start the graceful palms waving--cool, -refreshing zephyrs that set millions of sparkling ripples in motion on -the sea, and sent them dancing merrily shorewards to plash at last upon -the golden sands at the foot of the cliff. - -Gerald Wilton and Jack Lawford were two youths, orphans both, who, after -having been brought up and educated in England, found themselves, -through a curious series of chances, passing their time upon this island -under the guardianship of a former friend of Gerald's father, named -Armeath. The latter was a scientist who had chosen to make this -out-of-the-way spot--absolutely uninhabited save for himself and his -establishment--his home for a year or two, in order the better to pursue -certain abstruse studies to which he was ardently devoted. - -They were stalwart, well-grown, clean-limbed British youths, these two, -with good-looking faces and well-knit frames, fond of hunting, shooting, -fishing, and all outdoor sports. At first, therefore, it is needless to -say, they had enjoyed the change to this far-off island home, and -entered with zest into its free, open life. If limited as to space, -there were larger islands near, amongst which they could take an -occasional cruise, and where they could go ashore for hunting -expeditions. - -But after nearly a year, even this pleasant life had begun to grow a -little monotonous. The two high-spirited youngsters were getting -somewhat tired of it, and beginning to long--almost unconsciously--for -other and more exciting adventures. - -Of the two, however, Gerald perhaps was more troubled by these vague, -restless feelings than his chum. As his friend had said, Gerald was -given at times to fits of dreaming. In appearance he was fairer and a -little taller than his companion, with gray eyes which often had in them -an abstracted, far-away look. Jack, on the other hand, was almost -swarthy of skin, with dark hair, firm lips, and keen, alert eyes, which -indicated an active, determined character, and a practical, -matter-of-fact temperament. - -That, in effect, constituted the essential difference between these two -firm friends. Gerald was fond of indulging in speculations concerning -all kinds of scientific research. The mysteries of the unknown, and the -as yet 'undiscovered;' the limitless possibilities lying in the worlds -surrounding our globe--speculations concerning such themes as these had -for him an irresistible fascination. Jack, on the other hand, kept his -thoughts and interest fixed upon the practical side of everything about -him. He was a skilful mechanic and a trained mathematician, and had -developed clever engineering abilities; he might possibly some day -become an inventor. But speculative, dreamy fancies had little -attraction for him. - -'Jack,' said Gerald impressively, 'I can't come in just now--I really -cannot! I can't exactly say why, but to-night I seem to be unusually -restless. I could not sit down indoors, nor could I rest if I went to -bed. I don't know what it is; but I have a feeling'---- - -'It's the electricity in the air. I suppose there must be more lying -about loose to-night than suits your constitution,' remarked Jack -prosaically. 'I said a minute or two since that you were as dreamy at -times as any girl. I begin now to think you are developing "nerves" as -well. However, do as you please! Stop here and enjoy yourself with your -"nervy," dreamy fancies if you choose. For my part, I 'm going in to -supper, and'---- - -'What are you lads talking about?' - -This question, which came from some one behind them, caused the two -friends to start suddenly, and then glance at one another with wondering -looks. - -It was not that they had not recognised the voice. They knew it at once -to be that of Mr Armeath, their guardian; the wonder was that he should -have come out to them. Usually he spent the whole night shut up in his -own rooms, immersed in his studies, or gazing through his telescope at -the heavens above; for, amongst other things, he was an enthusiastic -astronomer. - -'Faith!' exclaimed Jack, in an aside to Gerald, 'I begin to think you -'re right after all. There must be something unusual in the air to -account for this new move!' - -The new-comer was a tall, fine-looking old man, with an ascetic face and -a kindly voice and manner. His hair and beard were white, but his -deep-set eyes glowed with the liveliness and fire of a vigorous young -man. - -With the self-absorbed, thoughtful air that so often marks the devoted -scientist or profound student, Armeath, without waiting for any reply to -the question he had asked, stepped past the two youngsters and walked -almost to the edge of the bluff. There he gazed first at the sandy -shore fifty feet or more below, then out over the glistening sea to the -distant horizon, and finally at the deep-blue, star-spangled sky -overhead. - -Behind the three, at a distance of a few hundred yards, was the -building--or rather group of buildings--which formed their home. These -were built bungalow-fashion, save as to one part--the observatory--which -rose above the rest, with detached dwelling-places for their attendants -close by. - -Inland, the ground fell away, and there was on one side a winding road -down to the shore. On the other side, the ground rose again towards -higher ridges in the centre of the island. - -The old man remained for some minutes gazing fixedly upwards; the two -young fellows, very much surprised, and--if the truth be told--a little -awed by his demeanour, remained also motionless, gazing alternately at -him and at each other. - -Suddenly the sage uttered a sort of cry--an exclamation so strange, so -thrilling, that his companions were startled, and stared anxiously -about, seeking for an explanation. - -Then they saw him raise an arm and point to the sky, and, following the -direction thus indicated, they both started and stood and gazed fixedly -as though spell-bound. - -'Look!' exclaimed Jack. 'It is a meteor!' - -And that was all that was said--all, indeed, there was time for. There -was no time for questions, for comments, for anything, in fact, save a -great gasp of astonishment, and scarcely even for that. - -Careering towards them through the upper air, at what seemed lightning -speed, was something which left a long, luminous trail behind it. Rays -and flashes of light of different colours burst from it in its course, -darting out in all directions. A low, rushing sound became audible, -which quickly increased in volume until it became a terrific, deafening, -overwhelming roar. - -There was a sudden disturbance in the air, as of the approach of a -whirlwind, and a crackling noise as of the discharge of fireworks. - -Then something seemed to shoot past them into the sea, the 'wind' from -it almost brushing them aside like that caused by a shell fired from -some colossal cannon. - -From the sea came a mighty crash as of a loud explosion, while columns -of water and clouds of vapour rose into the air. The water came right -over the top of the cliff, drenching the amazed spectators, and almost -sweeping one--it was Jack--off his feet. - -Hardly had the spray cleared away when there was another commotion in -the water. The sea, boiling and chafing, seemed to rise up into a -pyramid, and from it a huge dark mass shot up into the air, dropping -back into the sea again with a plunge only a little less violent than -that which had accompanied its first fall. - -For a brief space it was lost to view, and then it reappeared, shooting -again high into the air, as might a gigantic whale throwing itself out -of the sea in sport or an endeavour to escape some terrible marine foe. - -These mad leaps and plunges were repeated again and again, becoming each -time less in height and violence, until at last they ceased. - -It was some time, however, before the agitation in the water came to an -end. Great waves rushed booming along the shore, dashing wildly up the -face of the cliffs, sending clouds of spray flying over their summits -far inland. - -But after a while the commotion subsided, the sea became smooth on the -surface, and there remained only a gentle heaving, as from a ground -swell. - -And there, at a little distance from the shore, the cause of all this -disturbance was plainly to be seen--an immense, egg-shaped mass many -hundreds of feet in length, floating as lightly and buoyantly upon the -still-heaving water as if it had been an immense football. - - - - - *CHAPTER II.* - - *WHAT GERALD SAW.* - - -Seldom, perhaps, have there been seen three people more puzzled and -amazed than the little group who had witnessed the tremendous advent of -the wondrous 'meteorite'--for such it appeared to be--and now stood -gazing at it in helpless astonishment as it floated quietly in the sea -only a short distance from the shore. - -It was some time before either Jack or Gerald spoke, and when they at -last found speech, they had little to say beyond vague, incoherent -exclamations. - -Presently an impulse came upon them to run down the path which led to -the shore, thinking that they might get a better view from there of this -extraordinary new arrival from the realms above. Perhaps a closer look -might yield some clue as to the nature of the strange visitor. - -But a nearer view did not help them much. All that they could see, when -they arrived on the sandy margin, was what they had already seen from -above--and that was a huge mass composed of some material not heavy -enough to sink, and--as a natural consequence--light enough to float. - -What could it be? It was, presumably, a meteorite--so Armeath -pronounced--but of what kind? Who had ever heard of a meteorite of such -a size, and above all, of a material light enough to float in water? - -'Don't you wish you had gone in to your supper, Jack?' Gerald asked -mischievously. 'Had you done so you would not have witnessed this -wonder.' - -'It's all very well to pretend to joke about it,' returned Jack, -affecting to grumble; 'but it's rather serious, you know. The giddy -thing might have hit one of us a nasty crack on the head, or something -worse. This all comes of your busying yourself about what doesn't -concern you, Gerald. You've bothered about the stars above us so long -that, as you can't get up to them, one of 'em's come down to pay a visit -to you.' - -'Well, it's likely to prove a grand find, anyhow. It must be made of -some substance unknown to science, and its discovery may bring us all -name and fame; so its arrival is bound to be a gain to us.' - -'It's been nearer bringing us pain than gain, I guess,' was Jack's -retort. 'But what on earth are we going to do with the thing? How can -we hope to get a great, round affair like that ashore?' - -'Well, Tom, you seem to be pondering something very weighty in your -mind. Have you thought of a likely plan for getting this pretty -plaything ashore in the morning?' - -Gerald addressed these words to one of their attendants, Tom Clinch by -name, a grizzled, rough, but worthy old sailor, who had known Gerald all -his days. He had been indoors when the meteorite fell, and had not -therefore witnessed its arrival. As the sound of its fall reached his -ears he had rushed out, with others of the attendants--chiefly -natives--most of whom had gone off shrieking and panic-stricken towards -the interior of the island. Only Tom and another sailor had stood their -ground. - -'Humph! It's a rum sort o' visitin' star, this 'ere, Mr Gerald,' said -the old mariner, with a wise shake of the head. 'Got out of its coorse, -I reckon, the channel not being buoyed; onless,' he added, a sudden -thought striking him as he noted how lightly the mass floated, 'onless -this be one of the buoys which 'as got loose from its moorin's above, -an' toppled over down 'ere, d'ye see?' - -With comments and talk such as this, the islanders passed the time while -waiting for the morning. They felt too restless and excited to 'turn -in,' with the exception of Mr Armeath. He, after a while, deeming that -there was nothing to be gained by waiting outside, went back to his own -rooms, leaving instructions that he was to be called at once if anything -fresh occurred. - -His wards remained on the watch, however, and with them their two sailor -hands, Tom Clinch and Bob Reid; and in due course the moon went down and -it became quite dark. Then, behold! there was another wonder to be -added to the rest--the whole great mass became luminous! Not only that, -but queer shadows came and went upon it, as though something were in -motion upon the surface or just beneath it. - -The news of this being conveyed to Armeath brought him out again; but he -could not account to his own satisfaction for this new phase. - -'It may be that it is composed of some highly phosphorescent mineral,' -was the only explanation he could suggest. - -At last the morning dawned, and, immediately it was light, Armeath and -his two young companions, without waiting for breakfast, put off in a -boat, with the two sailors, to examine the meteorite more closely. - -It was still there, but the slight wind had drifted it up to a sandy -ledge close inshore, and it appeared to be now resting on the sand. - -They rowed up to it and were not a little surprised to find that the -whole mass was perfectly smooth like glass. Still more mystifying was -it to see that there were bands at regular intervals extending 'from -stem to starn,' as Tom expressed it, 'jest for all the world like the -hull of a great boat.' - -They rowed all round it, their wonderment and astonishment growing all -the time. They computed that it must be considerably over a thousand -feet in length, by, perhaps, a hundred feet in diameter. - -Suddenly Gerald uttered a loud exclamation. Jack, glancing at him, saw -that he was pointing to a place in the side of the mass and staring at -it as though his eyes were about to start out of his head. - -'What on earth's up, old man?' he asked in alarm. 'Have you got an -attack of nerves again, or'---- - -'Jack!' cried Gerald, seizing his chum's arm, 'd-didn't you see--didn't -you see them?' - -'Them--what--who?' asked Jack, bewildered. - -'People--men--moving about! I declare that I saw some men moving about -inside the--the--thing!' - -'You 're barmy, my good Gerald! This little astronomical raree-show has -been too much for those imaginative nerves of yours. I see nothing. -Perhaps you saw shadows thrown by some birds flying overhead.' - -'No, oh no! A thousand times no! I tell you I saw people--two or -three--moving about inside that smooth, slippery surface. They were -very dim and shadowy, it is true, but they were there. I saw them just -as one might see anything through very thick, semi-opaque glass. What -does it mean? I tell you it's uncanny! There's some strange mystery -about it all. This thing is not what it seems to be. What, in the name -of all that is wonderful, does it mean?' - -Jack looked at the smooth, shining sides which rose from the water and -towered up high in the air. But he could see nothing to account for -Gerald's wild words; and he then glanced inquiringly, with real alarm -and trouble in his eyes, at Armeath. - -'I am afraid,' said the scientist, with a grave smile, 'that Gerald is -letting his exuberant imagination run away with him this morning. I -confess I see nothing of the kind he described. It must have been some -strange effect of the rays of the sun, which is not very high yet, -striking at an angle upon these remarkable, shining sides.' - -Gerald shook his head impatiently, but made no verbal reply; and they -rowed round and round the phenomenon, without finding anything to -satisfy their curiosity. Armeath examined the smooth sides closely, -sometimes through a magnifying glass. He even tried to chip off a piece -with a hammer and a chisel; but it was so hard that he could make no -impression upon it, and so slippery that his chisel glanced off and flew -from his hand into the sea. - -After a good deal of rowing to and fro, and a considerable amount of -critical examination, which threw not the slightest light upon the -puzzling lump of mystery, it was decided to return to shore for their -breakfast. - -Even over their meal, however, their talk continued to run upon the -all-engrossing subject. Jack rallied his chum unmercifully upon the -extraordinary statement he had made; but Gerald refused to admit that he -might have been mistaken. - -'I saw what I told you!' he persisted doggedly. 'I may be a bit of a -dreamer at times, but I don't "see visions" to that extent. No, there -is some awful, inscrutable, incredible mystery about it all! Well, we -'ll wait and see. We shall find out, I suppose, in good time.' - -With such discussions and speculations the day passed, without bringing -anything fresh in the way of enlightenment. - -When evening came, Jack declared his fixed resolution not to allow the -puzzle to deprive him of another night's sleep. After supper, -therefore, he went off incontinently to bed; and as Armeath shut himself -up as usual, Gerald was left to himself. - -Still restless and perplexed, dissatisfied with the explanations and -theories which had been propounded, Gerald felt no inclination to 'turn -in.' Something within him--some vague impulse he could not analyse, -above all, the recollection of the mysterious, shadowy figures he -believed he had seen through the semi-transparent 'shell,' as Jack now -called it--urged him to remain on the watch. - -'As Mr Armeath says,' he thought to himself, 'if a wind were to spring -up it might be gone by to-morrow. We may as well, therefore, keep an -eye on it while it is here, and watch its departure when it goes.' - -In order to carry out his idea, he required a reliable assistant, and -this he found in Tom Clinch. Not only had Tom known Gerald all his -life, as already stated, but he had served his father before him, and he -had now transferred his devotion to the son. When, therefore, the young -fellow sought him out and told him what he required, Tom was ready -enough to lend his aid. - -'We 'll keep a watch, Mr Gerald,' he responded, 'turn and turn about, -all night, an' have the boat ready in case we wants it. Fur my part, I -think ye're only actin' cautious-like. Nobody can tell what's goin' to -happen next when things like this once begin fallin' from the skies. -I've 'eerd it said as 'ow theer's supposed to be a great bear, an' -scorpions, an' crabs in the sky. An' after this, who can say but they -might come a-rainin' down on us an' eat us all up in our sleep?' - -Honest Tom had heard vaguely of the constellations of stars called by -those names, and had very loose notions as to what they meant. - -'Well, I hope it won't be as bad as that,' Gerald answered with a smile. -'But I shall be very glad of your company on my night-watch, all the -same.' - -So it was arranged; and the two betook themselves to a part of the shore -where there was a cave which had been utilised as a boathouse, and here -they began their watch. - -The night turned out as fine as the previous one, except that there were -a few drifting clouds which now and again obscured the light of the -moon. There was scarcely any breeze, however, and the sea was, as Tom -put it, 'as calm and still as a pint of stale beer.' - -For a long time nothing occurred, though they kept up their watch till -the moon had set, and it had become quite dark. Then they saw again the -luminous appearance which they had noticed before. - -'Now this is what I want to investigate, Tom,' said Gerald. 'Get out -the boat quickly, and let us pull close up as silently as we can.' - -The boat, which had been placed ready for launching, was slipped into -the water, Gerald putting in the stern a dark lantern, which he had -lighted. - -Like a gliding shadow, the boat and her two occupants--the sailor rowing -and Gerald steering--approached the huge 'meteorite,' now all aglow with -a strange, dim light. The oars, well greased, made no sound, and they -passed silently along the side nearest the shore, rounded the end, and -were making their way back upon the outer side, when Gerald put a hand -upon his companion as a signal to stop rowing. - -They were then about the centre of the great mass, on the side which was -away from the shore and faced the sea. There the boat remained -stationary, Gerald staring intently at the curious shimmering wall which -towered up at a distance of twenty or thirty feet. - -'See, Tom! Look!' he suddenly whispered excitedly. 'See! There are -the shadows--the forms of people! There! Now, who was right?' - -'Heaven defend us!' breathed Tom fervently. 'Whatever do it mean? Be -the thing bewitched?' - -'Hush! Whatever you see, do not utter a word--not a sound--on your -life! I believe they're coming out!' - -Decidedly it was no trick of the imagination this time, at any rate. -There were actually figures, as of men, moving about inside. They could -be dimly seen through the semi-opaque outer wall or shell. What they -were, how they were dressed, or what they were doing, was not clear; but -actual, moving, living beings they certainly were. - -Something now seemed to be shifted inside, as though a screen had been -removed, and at once the figures could be distinguished more plainly. -But ere Gerald could fix his attention upon one or another among them, a -sort of door had opened in the smooth, shining side, a platform had been -run out, and now remained extended in a horizontal position. - -Then a tall, noble-looking man appeared in the doorway, stepped on to -the platform, and remained there, gazing out over the darkling waters. - - - - - *CHAPTER III.* - - *STRANGE VISITORS.* - - -Gerald, resting almost spell-bound upon his seat in the boat, with -difficulty repressed a gasp of astonished admiration as his gaze fell -upon the stranger, whom he could see very clearly, even down to the -smallest detail of his dress, in the soft but intense light which issued -from the opening behind him. - -Gerald saw before him a man, tall and commanding in stature, yet so -exactly proportioned as scarcely to look his real height--muscular -without being stout, light and graceful in carriage without being thin. -His refined, clear-cut features, which were free from any trace of beard -or moustache, were those of a man in the very prime of life. The skin -was smooth and clear, and as light in hue as in the average English -type. The mouth was delicately chiselled, and very expressive; and the -high, massive brow had a character all its own, conveying an idea of -lofty serenity. Beneath, as it were, were traces of an irresistible -will and a certain sense of latent power, which were somehow felt by the -spectator rather than openly declared. The eyes were large, dark, and -luminous, and their gaze searching and penetrating, appearing to be -capable either of winning gentleness or the most terrible sternness. - -Altogether, Gerald decided, a man to be loved and trusted, or hated and -dreaded, according to whether he were a friend or an enemy; a born -leader of men, a being of indescribable majesty and dignity in general -appearance, yet possessed of a singular simplicity and charm of manner. - -As to the dress of this attractive stranger, it is more difficult to -describe, for the reason that Gerald perceived at once that the material -was unlike anything he had ever seen before. There was a long tunic, -with a belt of gold, and a very picturesque head-dress not unlike that -in vogue in England in the days of Henry the Eighth; while the arms and -legs were encased in garments which fitted closely, showing the figure -clearly. That much was plainly to be seen. But what the dress -consisted of was a puzzle, for it seemed to have a sheen of its own, a -sort of shimmer which did not appear to be altogether reflected light. -There were several little ornaments here and there, such as buckles on -the shoes and another on the shoulder; but the chief embellishment was a -large star upon the breast, which flashed and sparkled and seemed to be -worked in diamonds. - -Behind this regal figure were three or four others, who stood -respectfully in the background, evidently in attendance upon him. -Suddenly, while Gerald still gazed in ever-increasing wonder upon the -unexpected scene, the stranger reeled as though suffering from an attack -of faintness. He put his hand to his breast, and appeared to be panting -for breath. Blood showed upon his face and ran off on to his dress, and -the next moment he staggered and fell off the platform into the sea. - -Gerald did not hesitate. He guessed that the man must have fainted; he -knew that the spot where he had fallen in was outside the ledge on which -the supposed 'meteorite' was resting; that it was of unfathomable depth, -and that, therefore, his danger was imminent and deadly. Throwing off -his jacket, therefore, Gerald dived into the water, and that with such -promptitude that the second splash followed closely upon the first. - -But the stranger had fallen from a height, and the impetus carried him -down faster than that gained by Gerald's dive from the boat, so that he -failed to grasp the fainting stranger, and was compelled to swim -downwards in the hope of finding him. - -Down, down, ever down, he went, clawing at the water with fierce energy, -and battling his way with feverish determination, knowing that, with -those awful depths beneath him, the stranger's one and only chance of -life lay in his--Gerald's--overtaking and gripping him. - -It was a long and terrible struggle--long, that is, comparatively--and -the pressure of the water became oppressive, when, at last, just as the -plucky diver felt he must give up and return to the surface, his hand -touched something. His fingers closed at once upon it, and he felt that -he had secured his prize. - -A few seconds later he had regained the surface, and found himself, -panting, and all but exhausted, close to the boat, from which Clinch was -watching for him. The sailor was aiding his search upon the waters -around by throwing on them the rays from the dark lantern, which had -been lighted and placed ready to hand in the stern. - -A stroke or two brought the boat close enough for Gerald to get a hold -upon it with one arm, while with the other he supported in the water the -stranger's insensible form. - -'Wait, sir; wait an' get yer breath!' counselled the old sailor. 'Take -it easy, Mr Gerald! I 'll hold on to t' other chap, never fear! You -let go on 'im, an' get yer breath!' - -So Gerald loosed his hold upon the one he had rescued, and a little -later had recovered sufficiently to be able to scramble into the boat. -Then he gave his aid to Clinch, and between them they lifted the -stranger in also. - -'Where to now, Mr Gerald?' asked Tom, a little dazedly. All these -sudden happenings, as he afterwards phrased it, had been 'a little -trying to the works of the upper story, an' had set 'em spinnin'.' In -other words, his brain was in a whirl. - -Gerald looked round, and saw that a ladder had been lowered from the -platform; and seizing the oars, he rowed the boat to the place. Two -strangers were waiting on the lower part of the ladder. To Gerald's -surprise they wore masks upon their faces, and he noted that all the -other strangers were now masked also. - -As the boat came alongside, and Tom raised the inanimate form in his -arms, the two on the ladder seized it, and carried it up the ladder, -across the platform, and out of sight. A moment or two later the ladder -was drawn up in very sudden fashion, the platform was run in, and then -the doorway closed up completely, leaving nothing to mark the place -where it had been. - -The great mass lost its luminous appearance, and the two in the boat -found themselves in complete darkness. - -'Well, I 'm sugared!' exclaimed Tom, or words to that effect. 'If that -don't take the cake! Never so much as a "good-bye," or "thank yer -kindly," or---- Well!' He gave a great gasp, words altogether failing -to explain his feelings. - -'You forget, Tom, that they probably don't know our language, and we -shouldn't understand theirs,' said Gerald. 'You must remember that they -are foreigners--er--that is--h'm!--strangers, you know, from -another'---- - -He hesitated, and broke off. For what could he say? Strangers these -people certainly were; but foreigners? Well, that depended upon the -point of view--travellers from where? Another world? The suggestion -seemed monstrous--preposterous! Yet where else could they have come -from? If it seemed impossible--incredible--to think of them as -travellers from another sphere, it was certainly no less impossible to -regard them as inhabitants of the Earth. No mortal upon our globe had -yet succeeded in manufacturing an affair like this 'meteorite,' and -travelling about in it; that much was certain. To conceive it possible -was to imagine a miracle quite as wonderful as to suppose that this -extraordinary flying-machine--for something of that sort Gerald now felt -certain it must be--had come from another planet. - -However, Gerald realised that he was not in a state of mind to be able -to think clearly or logically about the matter at all. His brain, like -honest Tom's, was in a whirl; and he tried in vain to collect and -marshal his thoughts. The whole affair was too puzzling, too -extraordinary for sober thought. - -'Tom, row me ashore,' he said abruptly. 'This is too much for me. I'm -going to bed.' - -'Ay, ay, sir; I can unnerstan',' said Clinch, wagging his head -helplessly. 'I feels jest the same, Mr Gerald. Lawks! To think as I -should ever 'a lived to see this day!' - -Gerald went ashore, but was far too excited in mind to really go to bed. -He passed the remaining two or three hours of darkness in restless -pacing up and down between the dwelling-house and the bluff, whence he -could keep observation upon the cause of his wonderment, as it lay -placidly in the water below. - -Great was the astonishment of his friends when, in the morning, he -related to them the adventures of the night. It is scarcely to be -wondered at that they were--Jack certainly was--disposed at first to -regard it all as an extraordinary hallucination which had seized upon -the relater. But there was Clinch's confirmation; and in the end they -saw that there was no room left for doubt. - -'Then it comes to this,' said Jack, 'we have to face the fact that we -have here, close by us, some people who are paying us a visit from -another planet! Phew! What a wake-up for our scientists! What a snub -for those wiseacres who have declared that the planets could not -possibly be inhabited! But why have our visitors shut themselves up -again? It's rather churlish after your saving that johnny from -drowning! What do they mean by it? And what was the matter with him?' - -'I read it this way,' said Armeath thoughtfully. And it may as well be -here stated that after-events fully proved the correctness of his -deductions. 'These people from another world either came -involuntarily--that is to say, by accident--or they made some mistake -which resulted in their being landed upon the Earth in a fashion -different from that which they had intended. They narrowly escaped -destruction, which would certainly have come to them had they struck the -ground--this island for instance, instead of the sea--or if they had -fallen in the sea at a place where it was shallow. - -'Even as it was, I imagine, their method of arrival came very near to -being a disaster. In all probability something has gone wrong with -their engines or machinery--whatever they may be--and also, probably, -some of the voyagers were injured by the shock, and required time to -recover from it. This would explain how it is that they have not shown -themselves outside sooner.' - -'It's a far-reaching sort of guess, sir,' said Jack reflectively; 'but -it seems to fit the situation. It scarcely explains, however, why the -beggars should have gone off without signifying their thanks in some -way. It appears pretty certain that Gerald saved that chap's life.' - -'Yes,' said Armeath slowly; 'Gerald certainly saved his life. Let us -hope that the circumstance is of good augury; that it may lead to their -being friendly when the sufferer has thoroughly recovered, and they -venture out again.' - - - - - *CHAPTER IV.* - - *GERALD CARRIED OFF.* - - -Several days went by after the adventure recorded in the last chapter -without anything further being seen of the strangers. The friends kept -a watch upon their curious-looking abode from the shore, and sometimes -from the water; but the voyagers gave no sign. At times a muffled -hammering and clanging could be heard from inside, 'which,' as Tom -Clinch expressed it, 'confirmed Mr Armeath's 'pinion as there's summat -wrong with the works.' - -To the impatient youngsters the time seemed to drag by slowly, and even -Mr Armeath himself did not conceal the curiosity he felt. - -'I confess,' said he, 'that I am waiting with the most intense interest -to see what developments are in store for us. Before these people could -have constructed such a machine, they must have made many wonderful -discoveries in the sciences. What marvels they will be able to show us!' - -But Gerald's feelings in the matter went beyond mere scientific -curiosity. He had been most strangely attracted by the face and general -appearance of the man whose life he had saved. The recollection of his -countenance, the expression of lofty nobility, and wondrous, indefinable -graciousness which he had read there, had fascinated him, and now seemed -to haunt him. He looked forward with eager expectation to meeting this -wonderful being again, and longed for an opportunity of becoming -friendly with him. - -Under the influence of these feelings, Gerald became more restless from -day to day. He could not sleep at night, and took to staying out upon -the beach instead. There he passed the time marching to and fro -opposite to the great dark mass which, sphinx-like, remained silent and -inscrutable, and refused to divulge any more of its mysterious secrets. - -One night, as he thus paced up and down in the darkness, he suddenly saw -one part of the structure light up as though screens inside had been -removed. He heard voices, and dimly saw a gangway open, after which -something which looked like a boat was pushed out quietly and smoothly -on to the water. Then shadowy figures stepped into her, and began to -row or paddle towards the shore. - -'At last! At last!' thought Gerald, highly pleased. 'They are coming -ashore at last! I will go forward to greet them!' - -Had he not been so taken up with the expectation of meeting again the -one who had so attracted his interest, he would probably have felt some -distrust at the fact that these strangers should be coming ashore thus -stealthily in the darkness instead of in the daylight. No suspicion, -however, entered his mind, and he ran forward to welcome them just as -the boat grounded on the sand. From her stepped out three figures, who -came towards him. - -What happened next he was never able to say with certainty. He was -conscious of a quick movement on the part of one of the three, and he -felt a slight pricking sensation in one of his hands, somewhat as though -he had been touched by a very sharp needle. - -Then a giddiness seized him, his legs seemed to give way under him, and -he sank, rather than fell, to the ground, and rolled over. When he -tried to rise he found that he had no sort of control over his muscles; -they refused to act, and he was unable to move so much as a finger. -Even his voice refused to obey his will, for he vainly tried to cry out; -no sound issued from his lips. - -Two of the dark figures who had just landed came forward, picked him up, -and carried him to the waiting boat. There he was thrown down very much -as if he had been a deer which had been captured. He next felt the -craft moving through the water, he heard the _lap, lap_ of the ripple -against the sides, followed by a bump when it reached the end of its -short voyage. - -Then he was hauled up through the air and carried some distance through -seemingly interminable passages, which he knew were well-lighted; for, -though he could not move, he was quite conscious, and could not only -hear but could see whatever came within the range of his eyes. - -Presently he was cast down upon the floor of a small chamber, where he -was left to himself, his captors closing the door with noisy -accompaniments which sounded like the turning of keys and the shooting -of bolts into their sockets. - -And there he lay, utterly unable to move, in an agony of mind which can -be better conceived than described. He was like one in a trance; and -wild, weird tales came into his mind of persons who had fallen into a -similar state, and had been believed to be dead when they were really -still alive. Did the people who had brought him there think he was -dead, he wondered, or were they aware of the true state of the case? -The question suggested terrible possibilities. These strangers must be -formidable beings indeed! Seemingly, they possessed dread powers and -strange secrets. It looked as though they could throw an enemy at will -into this terrible condition. But why they should regard him as an -enemy to be treated thus, more especially after what he had been able to -do for the one who had fallen into the sea, poor Gerald was at a loss to -guess. - -In his helplessness and dread of what the end might be, he prayed -earnestly for help and deliverance. It seemed as though no earthly -friends could aid him, but he did not lose faith in the power of the one -Great Friend above, and to Him his prayers were many and fervent. And -after a while it seemed as though those supplications were heard. -Slowly, but surely, feeling crept back into his useless muscles, and the -power to use them returned. Little by little the control over his limbs -returned, until at last, with a long breath of relief and a grateful -prayer of thankfulness, he was able to stand up and move about his -prison-chamber. - -First he examined himself to see if there was any wound which would -account for what had happened to him; but he could find nothing save a -slight mark on the right hand. He remembered that he had felt a -pricking sensation there just before he had collapsed upon the beach; -after which there had been a tingling which had spread quickly all over -his body. And that was all he knew. - -Ere, however, he could carry his memory and his speculations further, -the door of the chamber was opened, and several persons entered abruptly -and stood for a while regarding him in silence. - -Gerald, on his side, looked back at them curiously, and he was not by -any means favourably impressed by his first survey of them. He decided -at once that they were soldiers, though their dress and accoutrements -were very different from anything he had ever seen before. They all -wore beards, and were dark, both as to their hair and their complexions. - -Their costumes, which were a curious dull-gray in tint, had that -peculiar, shimmering sheen which he had noted in the dress of the -stranger who had fallen into the sea. The fashion, too, was much the -same, the principal garment being the tunic, with a belt, and the -picturesque head-dress. - -These people all bore shields, which, strange to say, seemed to be of -glass, for they were perfectly transparent; and by way of arms each had -an odd-looking twisted pole or spear, which looked like two rods of -polished steel entwined together. At the top was a flat, spear-shaped -piece of light-coloured silvery metal, with three points or prongs -instead of one. Stuck into the belt of each, as people might stick -pistols, were two or three smaller articles. One of them looked like a -hunting-knife or dagger; but regarding the others, Gerald could form no -sort of idea as to their use or meaning, and could only vaguely guess -that they were probably weapons of a kind unknown to dwellers upon the -Earth. - -One of these men, who appeared to be their officer, motioned to Gerald -to follow him, and turned and led the way. Outside there were half a -dozen more men in waiting, all similarly dressed. The officer signed to -Gerald to follow a couple of these, while he himself, with the others, -fell in behind; and thus they all marched onwards in double file, like a -squad of soldiers. - -They traversed many passages and galleries, where Gerald saw plenty to -attract attention and excite wonder. They passed also people standing -about in small groups, and these looked as curiously at the -prisoner--for such he felt himself to be--as did he at them. There was, -however, no time or opportunity for more than a fleeting glance; he was -hurried onwards, till suddenly there came a great surprise. - -Passing through an entrance, which in massiveness and design seemed to -the wondering captive more like the gateway to a medieval castle than a -doorway one might expect to find in such a place, they emerged into a -large open space. - -Gerald looked round, and as he did so, a gasp of astonishment escaped -him. He found himself in what had all the appearance of a spacious, -lofty hall, with a domed roof, around which glittered numerous lights. - -But his attention was at once drawn to the other end of the room. Here -was a dais, and upon it were several persons. They were seated, for the -most part, on handsomely carved and upholstered armchairs; but two of -the latter were higher and larger than the rest, so that they partook -rather of the character of thrones, and of these one again was larger -and more important-looking than the other. Very strange affairs were -these two high seats, ornamented as they were with carvings representing -heads of the queerest-looking creatures that can well be imagined. The -high backs curled over above, fashioned again in the shapes of heads of -most horrible, fantastic monsters; smaller heads, vying with them in -frightful ugliness, formed the ends of the arms. - -Behind this array of chairs hung a curtain on which was worked weird -pictures of the chase. They depicted men hunting, and the creatures they -were in pursuit of were again strange beasts, such as, Gerald thought, -seemed rather the outcome of a bad nightmare than the representation of -anything which had ever lived. Over all was a canopy with more carved -heads as corner-pieces. - -Noting these details in two or three quick glances, Gerald turned his -attention to the occupants of the chairs; and as he did so his spirits -fell considerably. - -He had hoped--expected indeed.--that he was about to be ushered into the -presence of the man whom he had rescued from the sea. Gerald had -already made up his mind to like this man of the noble countenance, and -therefore, notwithstanding that the treatment he had received had not -been over friendly, he had felt no great anxiety or misgiving as to what -was in store for him. - -But now, as he looked round, he very quickly perceived that the one he -had hoped to meet was not there. Instead, upon the large chairs or -thrones, he saw two dark, bearded men, who returned his looks with -anything but friendly gaze, and whose general appearance filled him with -feelings of dislike and alarm. Looking round the semicircle, he found -it was much the same with the others. There were no friendly glances at -all; they gazed at him in solemn, gloomy silence; and the expression -upon their faces was at the best merely a sort of contemptuous -curiosity. - -As to one of them in the centre--the one who sat upon the second highest -seat--Gerald thought he had never looked upon a more unprepossessing -being. His frame was large and muscular, his head massive; but his -dark, bearded face seemed full of brooding evil. His eyes were crafty, -and lighted now and then with cruel, cunning gleams. He reminded Gerald -somehow of ancient tales of horrible old ogres, whose principal -amusement might consist in planning new tortures for the unfortunate -victims who fell into their power. - -Nor was his master--as Gerald judged him to be, the one seated upon the -principal seat--much more attractive. His, too, was a huge figure, and -his countenance was dark and forbidding; but it was relieved by a -certain air of haughty authority and natural ease, imparting to his -bearing a dignity which was lacking in the case of the other. - -The more Gerald looked at the men before him the more he wondered at the -innocent, open-hearted expectation with which he and his friends on the -island had welcomed the coming of this wonderful 'chariot of the skies.' -Had they known--he now bitterly reflected--had they but known the sort -of beings it was peopled with, they would certainly have regarded its -advent with very different feelings! - -What evil fate, he vaguely and sadly wondered, had they in store for -him? - - - - - *CHAPTER V.* - - *KING IVANTA.* - - -Gerald stood in the midst of his captors, regarding them with steady -eyes and undaunted mien. Critical though his situation might be, he was -determined that these strangers from another world should have no reason -for deeming him wanting in courage. He gazed round, and took note of -everything about him with an outward appearance of calmness; though the -more he saw of the people in whose hands he was the more he -instinctively distrusted their intentions. He noted that the man who was -seated upon the higher of the two chairs was treated with great -deference by all the rest, and was evidently a sort of chief amongst -them. The next in rank--the one Gerald had privately dubbed the -'Ogre'--appeared to be his principal councillor, while the others seated -on the dais were officers of lesser degree. The rest of the people -present were attired much as the soldiers had been who had brought -Gerald to the place, save that their costumes were handsomer, and bore -many ornaments and special marks denoting superior rank. - -As regards their ornaments, it was noticeable that only the chief and -the 'Ogre' wore jewels. The former had upon the breast of his robe a -large, curious figure worked in diamonds, and the latter a similar -ornamentation of a smaller kind. But Gerald, who knew something about -precious stones, was surprised that these people, if they wore diamonds -at all, did not display something larger and finer. In his own mind he -appraised the value of those he saw at a very moderate figure, and -considered that they were altogether paltry as compared with what he -would have expected such men to wear. - -'Diamonds must be scarce where these people come from!' was the idea -which flashed through his mind; and therein he had made, as it -afterwards turned out, a very shrewd guess. - -And now the chief addressed some words to the prisoner, which, being -spoken in a strange language, Gerald could not understand. Then the -other one--the Ogre--rose up, and stepping off the dais, came close to -him. Taking him by the shoulders, he turned and twisted him round, now -this way, now that, as one might a fat bullock that was offered for -sale. - -Under this treatment Gerald became indignant. There was something in the -man's manner so contemptuous, so insulting, that the young fellow's -blood grew hot in his veins. He clenched his hands and bit his lips, -striving his best to keep down his fast-rising anger. - -But the man's behaviour only became more intolerable; and another now -came up to join in the amusement--for such it seemed to be considered. -Then Gerald, exasperated beyond all control, struggled fiercely to get -free, throwing one of his persecutors off with so much force that he -fell backwards upon the floor. His head must have struck against -something, for there was a heavy thump, which was followed at once by an -angry outcry from the man's friends. - -[Illustration: He fell backwards upon the floor.] - -The latter rushed upon the hapless captive, and began to pommel him in -cruel and brutal fashion. - -How the scene might have ended if no interruption had occurred it is -impossible to say. As it happened, however, it was brought to an end in -an unexpected manner. - -A man came rushing in, calling out in tones of warning. Evidently he -was the bearer of news, for every one turned to listen to what he said; -and it was curious to see the effect it produced upon the assembly when -they had gathered its purport. They appeared not unlike a lot of unruly -schoolboys who had ventured to amuse themselves in some forbidden manner -in the absence of their master. - -They looked at one another inquiringly, and somewhat guiltily. Those -who had been mixed up in the fray busied themselves in hastily trying to -remove all traces of the struggle; while others who felt themselves less -compromised tried their best to appear innocent and at their ease. - -Then were heard the blare of trumpets, hoarse calls, as of men in -authority giving words of command or ordering people to clear the way, -and the rattle and clatter of accoutrements. Great, massive doors at -the end opposite to the dais swung apart, throwing open to the view -another and larger hall, and a brilliant and unexpected scene. - -Gerald turned and stared in mute wonder. There, before him, was a vista -presenting one of the most magnificent spectacles it is possible to -imagine. He had thought the hall he was in large and imposing when he -had been ushered into it; but it was small and almost commonplace -compared with the great space into which he now gazed. - -Ranged on either side were ranks of magnificently dressed persons, who -looked like courtiers attending a levee. Above, from the ceiling, hung -gorgeous banners, and the walls were decorated with beautifully coloured -frescoes. Spiral columns of sparkling lights rose here and there, ever -turning and ever ascending, and dazzling the eyes with their splendour. -Music clashed from some unseen band of musicians; and, as the strains -floated through the air, they came mingled with the scent of subtle and -delicious perfumes. At the farthest end of all was an empty throne, -evidently awaiting its occupant. - -Gazing in wonder at all these things, Gerald shortly became aware that -he was himself becoming an object of curiosity to the whole of this -brilliant company. He had turned his back to the dais upon which his -persecutors had been seated, and he was standing out alone in the open -space in front, his homely dress contrasting curiously with the splendid -costumes around. - -The music ceased, there was another blare of trumpets, and then a man -entered near the throne. He stood upon the steps for a few moments, his -keen eyes travelling round the whole assembled throng as they all bowed -their heads in respectful salutation. He was about to seat himself, -when his eagle glance fell upon the wondering captive. At the same -moment Gerald recognised him--he was the man whose life he had saved! - -Evidently he was the real chief. He was the king of these people; not -the evil-looking, cruel man whose prisoner he had been. Gerald's heart -gave a great bound of relief and thankfulness; for he no longer felt -fear or doubt. One look at that stately figure, one glance in return -from those flashing eyes, told him all he wished to know. He felt that -he was saved! Such a being as this was incapable of either cruelty or -injustice! - -The king--for such he was--ordered Gerald to be brought up to him; and -two of the principal officers, whom he knew afterwards as Arelda and -Abralda, came down the long hall and conducted him to the steps of the -throne. - -There Gerald stood, whilst he whom he afterwards knew as King Ivanta -made inquiries concerning him. For as yet, though Gerald had recognised -him, he, on his side, had no idea that Gerald was the one who had saved -his life; having been, it will be remembered, insensible when he had -fallen into the sea. - -There followed much talking in a strange language. The king was -evidently making inquiries; and the more questions he asked the darker -grew the lowering cloud upon his brow. A tense silence fell upon the -assembled company, the hush that tells of coming trouble. - -Then one of the officers suddenly recognised Gerald. He was the officer -who had been with the king when he had fainted, and he was the only one -who had seen his rescuer's face. He now informed his master, who turned -and regarded the young stranger with new interest, in which there was a -kindly and friendly welcome. Then his brow grew darker than ever, his -eyes seemed literally to flash fire, and he looked truly terrible, as, -with outstretched arm, he thundered out some stern orders. - -What these were, or what was their effect, Gerald could not learn. -There was some stir near the place where his captors had been seated, -and he guessed that they were being brought forward to be dealt with. -But he himself was led out through a small side doorway into an -antechamber, where there were only a few officers in waiting; and these -in turn conducted him into another and still smaller room, where they -bade him be seated. Then they went out and left him alone. - - - - - *CHAPTER VI.* - - *THE KING'S OFFER.* - - -Gerald felt like one in a dream. His adventure had been such a strange -one, events had followed one another so quickly, the change from fear -and almost despair to hope and safety had come so unexpectedly, that he -had scarcely had time to realise all that was going forward. And then -the stately magnificence of the scene at which he had been present, the -sudden revelation of the personality of the being he had rescued--all -these things, crowding into the short space of a single night, made his -brain reel. - -For some time he remained alone, turning these things over and over in -his mind. He almost doubted the evidence of his own senses, and began -vaguely to wonder whether it could all be real, or whether he had fallen -asleep and was dreaming some extraordinary, fantastic dream. - -After what seemed a long time, the door opened, and some one entered -behind him; some one who, even before Gerald caught sight of him, was -adding to the confusion of his ideas by speaking to him in English! -Turning round sharply, he found himself face to face with a tall, -good-looking man with a shrewd, intellectual face, who was regarding him -with a smile which seemed to be half-kindly, half-amused. He was -dressed like some of the principal officers he had seen; but there was -that in his manner and general appearance which, apart from his speech, -seemed to tell Gerald that he was one of his own race. - -'Well, young sir, will you tell me your name?' was the query which came -to Gerald's consciousness after a moment or two of bewilderment. - -'My name is Gerald Wilton,' he said simply. - -'And how did you come into these parts? Parents live round here?' - -Gerald shook his head. 'I have none,' he answered sadly. 'I have a -guardian, who is at present living on the island, however. His name is -Armeath--Mr Marcus Armeath.' - -The stranger uttered a long whistle, then he exclaimed, 'So, so! Marcus -Armeath living on this island! I knew him some years ago. He was then -in England engaged in some experiments, trying to discover---- But -never mind that now.' - -He broke off abruptly, and regarded Gerald again with his enigmatic -smile, which, however, now seemed to have in it more of friendly -interest. Then he took to pacing up and down the room, his hands behind -him, as though lost in thought. - -'Young sir,' said he presently, 'I don't know what star you were born -under, but it seems perfectly clear that you are marked out for some -experiences such as scarcely any one else on this Earth can boast of. -You are in possession of a great secret, which we wished to keep to -ourselves; and, further, it has been ordained that you should save the -life of--of--well, of one who is never ungrateful to those who do him -even the smallest service. He is my most gracious master, and he will -talk with you himself later on; but, meanwhile, he has deputed me to see -you, and prepare your mind for some tremendous facts which you might -otherwise find it difficult to grasp all at once. I am instructed to -tell you certain things which must appear to you so incredible, so -impossible, that I doubt if you will believe them without further -proof.' - -'I think I can give a good guess at one or two of them, sir; or, rather, -my guardian has done so. This monster airship, or whatever you call it, -has found its way here from some other planet--probably Mars'---- - -'My word, young gentleman, you've hit it!' cried the other, in very -evident surprise. - -'And,' continued Gerald, 'you made some mistake in arriving here, and -very nearly came to awful grief.' - -'Yes, yes! There, too, you guessed well,' returned the other. 'It was -but a slight miscalculation, but it nearly smashed us up! It was a -fearfully narrow escape!' He drew out a handkerchief and passed it over -his forehead, as though the mere recollection made him hot. 'I expect -that was Mr Armeath's guess too, wasn't it?' - -'Yes, sir.' - -'Ah well! there are certain other things, however, which you do not -know--cannot know--which I will now explain. In the first place, you do -not know that my master is a great king in Mars--a mighty ruler over -nearly half the population of that globe. His name is Ivanta; he reigns -over the empire of Ivenia--which, by-the-by, is the name of this -airship, as you called it. He named her the _Ivenia_, after his own -country.' - -Gerald listened with growing wonder, and eyes that lighted up more and -more as the stranger continued: - -'Very well! The next thing is that this is not the first visit my -master has paid to this Earth. He came here some years ago.' - -At this Gerald stared harder than ever. 'Is it possible?' he exclaimed. -'I never heard of it!' - -'Nobody--on the Earth--ever heard of it, save myself and one or two -others who were all sworn to secrecy. My royal master came here for -purposes of his own, and did not wish--and does not wish now--that his -visits should be made known. If they were, he would have a lot of -people pestering him with questions, and possibly some one might imitate -his inventions and build airships like this one, and he might have -explorers from here coming over to Mars--which he does not wish. Do you -understand?' - -'Yes, sir.' - -'Very well! At his first visit he came to this very island, and made it -his headquarters. It was uninhabited then'---- - -'Yes; so it was when we came to it. We have only been here a year or -so.' - -'I see. Well, my master hoped to find the place still uninhabited, and -that he would be able to hide the _Ivenia_ away here this time, as he -did before, when no one upon the Earth was ever the wiser, save the one -or two I have referred to. He had brought with him a yacht of his own. -She made a bit of a stir, being unlike anything previously seen, but no -one suspected the truth. In her he made a tour of the world, travelling -about for three years, during which time he and his chosen companions -picked up English, a little French, and so on. They also picked me up, -and I also saved the king's life, even as you have done, though in a -different manner. He was so grateful for what I did that he told me his -secret, and offered to enrol me in his service and take me back to Mars -with him. I had nothing particular to tie me here, and I am fond of -adventure, so I took him at his royal word. Now you can begin to -understand how it is that I, an Englishman by birth, Kendal Monck by -name, engineer by profession, happen to be here, in these days, in the -suite of this great king from another planet, and talking to you in your -own tongue!' - -'Yes, sir, I understand,' answered Gerald, his face aglow with interest -and excitement. 'It's very, very wonderful! What strange, marvellous -scenes and adventures you must have passed through!' - -'I have that, my lad! I have passed through many grave dangers too; -have had many hair-breadth escapes in the service of my royal master, -who is of a very adventurous disposition. His search after knowledge -has led us into queer places, I can assure you. But he is a wonderful -being! This marvellous airship was constructed from his own inventions -and designs. And then, as a man---- Ah!' Here the stranger drew a -long breath. 'His is a character which makes you feel you would go -through fire and water for him!' - -'I 'm sure of it!' cried Gerald with enthusiasm. 'I felt it the first -moment I set eyes upon him! How I should like to do as you have done--go -with him to Mars and back! What an experience!' - -'Ah!' exclaimed the engineer again, 'it would do you good, my lad. It -would do anybody--everybody--good, physically, morally, in every way. -It gives you a different, a more glorious, outlook on life when you -realise that the mighty works of the Creator are not confined to this -globe on which we live, but extend through endless "universes" in space. -Even comparatively near us there are great planets compared with which -this Earth is scarcely more than a big football. There is Saturn, for -instance. When we were there'---- - -'You have visited other planets, then, as well?' Gerald gasped. - -Monck nodded. 'Yes, even great Jupiter, but we could not get very near -to him. Saturn, however, we landed on, and spent some weeks -there--awful, terrible weeks they were. My young friend, even to think -of the things to be seen there is almost too much for the ordinary human -brain. But, as I have said, it does one good. It instils into the mind -some faint conception of the vastness, the greatness, the endless -variety to be everywhere found in what we call the creation!' - -'Would that your king would make me the offer he made to you!' cried -Gerald, with glistening eyes. - -'Perhaps he will. What if he has?' was the unexpected reply. - -Gerald started up from the chair he had been sitting on. 'You cannot -mean it!' he exclaimed. - -'What would be your reply if he made you the offer?' - -'I would accept only too gladly!' - -'You see,' Monck explained, 'the service you rendered is one that a man -like my master would never forget. I dare say you wonder how it -happened that he fell into the sea. It was because the air here is so -different from that which he is used to upon Mars, and which we all had -been living in inside this airship. At his first visit to the Earth, -years ago, he was extremely careful, and made the change gradually and -cautiously. This time he seems to have been rash, or to have forgotten. -Hence the air here--which is thinner and lighter than that on -Mars--served him as the air on the top of a very high mountain would -serve you if you were suddenly transported there. He was attacked with -what you have doubtless heard of as mountain-sickness. There is -vertigo, bleeding at the nose and ears, and fainting. However, his -danger was your opportunity; and I must say you acted very promptly and -pluckily.' - -'I only did what I would have done for any one,' said Gerald modestly. - -'I am sure of that, my boy. But I won't keep you in suspense any -longer. To come to the point, my master said I could make you the offer -I have hinted at if I found you were likely to regard it with favour. I -do not want your answer now, of course. You can take time to -consider--there are lots of things we can talk over first. Briefly, -however, when we go back to Mars we shall only be away a few months. At -the end of that time we shall return here again; and if you are then -tired of the adventure you will be free to leave his service and remain -here.' - -'I do not need any time to make up my mind,' Gerald burst out -impetuously. 'All I should hesitate about would be as to whether my -guardian'---- - -'Well, we can talk to him.' - -'And Jack!' - -'Who is Jack?' - -'My chum! He must come too!' - -'Oh--h'm! I don't know what to say about that! You had better ask King -Ivanta yourself when you see him!' - -'I will!' cried Gerald. And he did, with what result will presently -appear. - - - - - *CHAPTER VII* - - *OFF ON A TRIP TO MARS.* - - -'Our last morning upon the Earth, Jack, for many a day to come! Think -of it! It scarcely seems possible, does it?' - -'It's true enough, though, old chap! In a few hours we shall "sail -away," as the song says, and shall be winging our way through space!' - -'Fancy gazing down and taking our last look at our own globe! The -daring of the thing gives me a bit of a shock, now that the event itself -is so near at hand! How is it with you?' - -'Well, I confess, Gerald, that I have to brace my mind up to it, as it -were. But it's always the same when you start upon a journey or a new -adventure. One never exactly likes saying good-bye to the old familiar -places.' - -Many months had passed since the events recorded in the last chapter. -King Ivanta had been to Europe and finished the business he had in -hand--for it was generally understood, amongst those who knew of his -presence on the Earth, that he had come here on his second visit for -some definite purpose. What the purpose was remained for the present a -secret confined to the Martian monarch himself and the few he chose to -take into his confidence. - -Amongst those who shared the secret Mr Armeath was probably one; for he -had grown high in favour with the illustrious traveller, and had been -invited to accompany him in the forthcoming trip to Mars and back. He -had also been accorded the privilege of taking with him his two wards -Gerald and Jack, and his two servitors Tom Clinch and Bob Reid; and the -latter, loyal and faithful followers that they were, had not shrunk from -the risks of the adventure. - -There were some other passengers also--namely, Amos Zuanstroom the -multi-millionaire (the well-known 'Diamond King'), his son Silas (who -was about the same age as Jack), and a much younger lad, named Freddy -Whitcomb, his nephew. - -Why King Ivanta should choose these particular persons from all the -millions of inhabitants of the Earth was another matter which was -wrapped in mystery, and which, for the time being, he kept strictly to -himself. - -As the engineer Mr Monck had predicted, Gerald had good reason to -congratulate himself upon the fortunate chance which had enabled him to -render so great a service to the Martian king. The latter had shown -himself extremely grateful, and had conferred upon the young fellow many -marks of his favour. In particular, he had confirmed the offer Mr Monck -had made, and had graciously extended it, as stated, to his guardian and -his chum. - -And now, behold them all, then, on board the _Ivenia_, the colossal -'chariot of the skies,' awaiting the moment when she should rise in the -air and commence her tremendous journey. - -She lay in a sort of natural harbour in the island, a spacious -salt-water lake almost landlocked. - -From this she presently rose easily and smoothly, like a huge bird -wending its way upwards in a series of graceful circles. Like a bird, -too, she had at first enormous wings spread out to the air. But after a -time, as she gained the upper air, these were folded away, the upper -covering was replaced, and she became once more the great, egg-shaped -mass she had appeared when she had arrived beside the island. How, -afterwards, she continued to force her way upwards against the -attraction of the Earth, was King Ivanta's own secret. It was believed -that he had discovered a means of using the sun's more powerful -attractive force, and so controlling it as to make it do whatever he -required; but that was probably only a guess. What is certain is that -the whole structure continued to rise steadily and smoothly upwards, -till presently Gerald and Jack were called by Mr Armeath and the -engineer, Mr Monck, to come to a sort of periscope, from which they -could take their last look at the Earth. - -They stepped forward and stared through the opening in startled wonder. -There, they saw our globe, looking like an enormous ball. The great -airship itself was perfectly steady, and appeared to be absolutely -motionless. Not a tremor was to be felt, and it seemed as though it was -the Earth which was receding from them at a rapid rate, not they from -the Earth. No longer, however, could they make out details upon its -surface; the distance was already too great. All they could distinguish -were the respective masses of land and water, broadly mapped and marked -out as they are upon a school globe representing the Earth. The side -they were looking at showed the New World--the great continents of North -and South America and the oceans surrounding them--and that was all. - -Who shall attempt to describe their feelings, or guess their thoughts, -as they stood there gazing at this strange appearance of the planet upon -which they had lived all their lives? Probably they then for the first -time fully realised the actual nature of the risks they were running; -and it is more than likely that they were wondering whether they were -looking their last upon the Earth, as they watched it sinking silently -away into the immeasurable distance! - - - - - *CHAPTER VIII.* - - *A NARROW ESCAPE.* - - -The first part of the time which followed upon the departure from the -Earth of the _Ivenia_ on her long journey through space was one of great -enjoyment to the two chums. The marvels and mysteries of the great -airship--or aerostat, as Mr Armeath preferred to call her--seemed to be -inexhaustible. 'Every day' the young people found something new and -strange, to puzzle over. Every time they moved about they came upon -some unexpected revelation of the wondrous inventions and contrivances -which it had been necessary to bring to perfection before the great -machine could start upon the adventurous journeys she had undertaken. - -The above words, 'every day,' require an explanation. Of course, once -they were really out in 'the realms of starry space,' there were really -no alternations of day and night, for the sun shone upon them -continuously. But within the aerostat artificial nights, so to speak, -were produced by drawing huge screens across the semi-transparent outer -casing. - -Mr Monck explained this to the young voyagers, giving them, -incidentally, a little lecture, as it were, in astronomy and general -science; and on this occasion he had as his auditors all four of the -young passengers--including, that is to say, the two cousins, Silas and -Freddy. - -'I expect you all know,' he said, 'that out in what is called space, -where there is no atmosphere--no air--the sun's rays seem to have no -heat. The cold there is most intense--far greater than anything ever -experienced upon Earth. You feel the sun's rays warm on your globe -because they pass through the Earth's atmosphere, which acts like a lens -or magnifying-glass. Here the same effect is obtained by passing them -through the wonderful semi-transparent metal of which the outer shell of -the airship is composed. It is harder than the hardest steel, yet -almost transparent like glass, without being brittle, while it is far -lighter than aluminium. It was discovered by King Ivanta, and is called -"ivantium" after him. He found that when the sun's rays were passed -through it the result was exactly the same as when they pass through the -atmosphere of the Earth or of Mars. That is how it is we are so warm -and comfortable on board here. But for the discovery of that metal such -a journey as we are taking would be impossible. We should be frozen to -death.' - -'Then there is no need to have day and night unless you like,' Freddy -observed, his blue eyes opening in surprise. He was a fair, -good-looking youngster, and a great favourite with Monck and the chums. - -'No, my lad. But King Ivanta considers it best to keep up the same -habits as those you and his people are all accustomed to "at home;" for -Mars turns on its axis in about the same time as the Earth--namely, -twenty-four hours or thereabouts. That is to say, the average day on -Mars is just about the same length as the average day on the Earth.' - -On many other occasions, when he had the time and opportunity, the -good-natured engineer 'trotted them round' and explained to the young -people, in similar fashion, the why and the wherefore of many of the -things that puzzled them--so far, that is, as he himself understood -them. But as to a great many, and those some of the most surprising, he -was obliged to confess his own entire ignorance. - -'There are most essential secrets connected with the structure and -working of this remarkable "chariot of the skies" which no one but my -master understands, and he takes good care to keep them to himself,' he -declared. 'When you reach Mars, for instance, you will see there -numerous airships and flying-machines of many kinds. It has, indeed, -been much easier for the Martians to learn to build such contrivances -than for the dwellers upon the Earth, because, as I have before -mentioned, the air upon Mars is so much denser. But though you will see -many such things flying about, you will not see one that can compare -with this; not one that can venture out into space, or, indeed, very far -above the surface of the planet.' - -Often Mr Armeath accompanied the young people, and listened with -interest to the engineer's explanations; for, scientist though he was, -he found he had almost as much to learn in their new surroundings as -they had. - -Truly, the great airship was a wonder from every point of view. It may -assist readers to understand the stupendous scale upon which she had -been designed if it is explained that she was more than twice the size -of Britain's great warship the _Dreadnought_. But nothing less in bulk -would have been of any use if we consider the tremendous strength -required, and the accommodation necessary for the number of people she -carried--of whom there were between two and three thousand. In -addition, room had to be provided for enormous quantities of stores and -other equipment. - -Another feature which illustrates the gigantic scale upon which -everything was carried out was to be found in the fact that a large -space was given up to ornamental gardens and conservatories. In these -were graceful, waving, palm-like trees, wondrous flowers and shrubs, and -trees growing delicious fruits, interspersed amongst fountains and -pleasant walks, with what appeared to be a sunny sky overhead. There -was even a sort of 'Zoo' or menagerie on board, in which were many very -curious animals which the new passengers had never seen or heard of -before. To these had now been added quite a collection of more familiar -creatures which King Ivanta had acquired during his stay upon Earth, and -was taking back for the edification of his subjects at home. - -The chums were fond of wandering about in this miniature zoological -garden, looking at those creatures which were new to them, and studying -their ways and habits. Some were natives of Mars; these were mostly -small, for--as they soon learned from Monck--just as Mars was a smaller -globe than the Earth, so the animals generally were smaller in -proportion. But in this Zoo were specimens brought, as it appeared, -from the great planet Saturn, some of which were large and terrible -creatures. - -It was with one of these that Gerald met with an unpleasant adventure -one day when they had been but a short time 'out.' He had strolled in -alone, in the early morning, as was now his almost constant habit, and -went towards the cage of a creature called by the Martians an _amalpi_. -Gerald was especially interested in it on account of its resemblance to -an immense unicorn. It was, indeed, something between that fabled -creature and a rhinoceros. It had a very long, straight, sharp horn -upon the frontal bone, and a body very much like a heavily-built -cart-horse, covered with skin almost as thick as that of an elephant. -It was a most savage, dangerous creature, and all attempts to tame it, -even in the smallest degree, had failed. - -When Gerald walked up to its cage on this particular occasion he met -with a surprise, for the cage was empty and the barred gate was standing -ajar. Ere he had time to consider what this might mean he received a -second surprise. There was a loud, bellowing roar, and the next he knew -was that the creature itself was charging down upon him with lowered -head like a bull, the terrible, long, sharp horn pointed straight at -him. - -For an instant the young fellow stood as if spell-bound; then, by a -happy flash of thought, he dashed into the empty cage and pulled the -gate to after him. It fastened, as he knew, automatically, with a huge -spring-catch. A moment later there was a frightful crash as the -ferocious animal ran full tilt at the bars, its long horn pushing -between them, and just failing to reach Gerald by some few inches. - -For some time he had the novel experience of being a prisoner in the -great cage, while his enemy, furious with disappointment, charged again -and again at the bars. Such was the strength and determination of its -rushes that it seemed almost as if the bars must give way. - -At last the noise of its bellowing brought some of the keepers upon the -scene. Then Gerald had an opportunity of learning more of the weapons -the Martians were armed with, and how they used them. Each keeper -carried in his hand one of the large wands or staves, with triple points -at the top, similar to those the soldiers had carried who had marched -Gerald as a prisoner before the 'Ogre' and his chief. Gerald had seen -similar wands many times since, but had never seen how they were used. -Nor was he, indeed, much the wiser now. All he saw was a slight flash -of very brilliant light which seemed to leap from the tridents towards -the great roaring animal, as it stood for a moment tossing its head and -stamping its feet ere charging down upon the rescue-party. But it -never started upon its rush, for, lo! it suddenly sank upon its knees -and rolled helplessly over upon the ground, where it lay quiet and -still--a big, inert mass. - -The keepers opened the gate, and Gerald walked out, wondering greatly at -what he had seen, but unable to ask any questions, because he could not -speak their language. - -Just then, however, Monck arrived upon the scene. He looked very grave -when informed what had occurred, and examined the lock with a perplexed -air and many dubious shakes of the head. - -'What will they do with the dead _amalpi_?' Gerald asked, as he walked -away with the engineer. - -'Put it back again. It is not dead; it will recover in a few hours, and -to-morrow will be as lively as ever,' was the answer. Then the speaker -went on to explain. 'Those tridents,' he said, alluding to the -three-pronged wands, 'are really a kind of electric gun, if I may use -the term. This weapon also--like so many of the Martians' greatest -discoveries--is the invention of our royal master, King Ivanta. He -tried for years to discover a weapon which would stun or paralyse and -not kill. He has a horror of bloodshed, and he set himself to devise a -weapon which should do away with the horrors of war by rendering killing -and maiming unnecessary. He found it at last in this weapon, which -simply paralyses the muscles for a certain time, without killing or -inflicting any permanent injury. People or animals--even the largest -and most ferocious creatures, as you have here seen--struck in this way -are merely rendered quite helpless for a time, so that you can bind -them, or do what you please with them.' - -'Ah! like I was! I understand now!' cried Gerald. 'All I felt was a -slight prick, as if some one had hurt me with a needle, and immediately -I collapsed and rolled over, utterly unable to move, yet not -unconscious.' - -Monck nodded thoughtfully. 'Ay, I remember,' said he. - -'So do I,' said Gerald, in a tone which indicated that the remembrance -was a sore one. 'And that reminds me that you have never given me any -explanation as to why I was treated in that fashion! I frequently see -the chap I have to thank for it--who, I have been given to understand, -is a sort of king in his own country--and his confederate, the one I -called the Ogre. I know their names too--Agrando and Kazzaro. Whenever -they catch sight of me they glare at me as though they would like to eat -me!' - -'Well, they got a precious good wigging from King Ivanta over that -affair before the whole Court,' Monck declared with a smile. 'So it is -not surprising that they do not exactly fall upon your neck and embrace -you.' - -'But what was their object?' Gerald persisted. - -Monck seemed to be ruminating. 'I cannot say with certainty; I can only -guess,' he answered thoughtfully. 'Agrando, you must know, is the ruler -of one of the last countries which Ivanta conquered and brought under -his sway. He reigned over a numerous and powerful nation, and there was -a long and bitter struggle ere Ivanta was completely successful. -Agrando did not like giving in, and I don't think he has become quite -reconciled to it even yet.' - -'Was that why King Ivanta brought him with him--so that he might be able -to keep an eye on him?' asked Gerald shrewdly. - -Monck laughed. 'Perhaps,' he said. - -'Well, my impression is--and always has been--that the old ruffian -intended to keep me there as prisoner in secret, and carry me secretly -to his own country, and there exhibit me as a raree-show, or keep me as -a slave to wait on him, or some infamy of that sort.' - -Monck looked puzzled. 'I hardly know what to say as to that,' he said -musingly. 'But I feel sure that you have no friend in him or his chief -councillor. I should keep clear of them if I were you. Have you any -other enemies, think you, on board?' - -Gerald started. 'Why do you ask?' he queried. - -'Because this little business of the _amalpi_ is a rather strange -affair. It looks to me as if it had been done on purpose. That lock -did not open itself, nor did the animal burst it open. It is not -injured in any way. Now, you are in the habit of going there regularly -in the early morning, are you not?' - -'Yes, Mr Monck,' returned Gerald gravely. 'But I don't like to think -there is any one on board who hates me enough to plan such a wicked -thing! I know, of course, that the Zuanstrooms are anything but pleased -at the fact that King Ivanta invited us to come with you on this trip; -and Silas has behaved very strangely once or twice, just as if he were -jealous, or envious, or something. But still--I could not imagine they -would carry their dislike as far as that!' - -'Well, to me it looks very much as though it had not been altogether an -accident,' Monck declared bluntly. 'So, take my advice, my lad, and -keep your eyes open; and if you get into any trouble, or suspect any -danger, do not hesitate to let me know at once.' - - - - - *CHAPTER IX.* - - *ARMEATH'S SECRET.* - - -The weeks passed on, and still the _Ivenia_ continued on her tremendous -journey through space to meet the advancing planet Mars. She travelled -at a rate which would make the heads of young readers swim if it were -set down in figures. Yet she glided on so smoothly that those on board -might well have thought she was all the time standing motionless in one -place. How this was accomplished was one of those secrets which Monck -confessed himself unable to explain. And the same may here be said of -some other mysteries which puzzled Mr Armeath not a little. One was, -that there was a feeling of weight or gravity on board much the same as -upon the Earth. Another puzzle was, how was the supply of air kept -always pure and wholesome? These were among the things that Ivanta kept -to himself. The Earth sank away into the distance, gradually diminishing -in size till it became no larger to the view than the moon when it is -full. Then came a time when it looked like a rather large star of a -pale-bluish tint. - -On board, the time passed, for the most part, pleasantly enough. There -was plenty to do--plenty of work and plenty of amusement. King Ivanta -was a ruler who believed in the policy of keeping his people busy in one -way or another. Every person on board was compelled to give a certain -amount of time each day to work or study of some kind; while a certain -interval was also set aside for recreations. The latter were of many -kinds. There were concerts--for the Martians seemed to be all fond of -music--games, somewhat after the style of football, tennis, and other -athletic sports; and, not least, military exercises, in which the -soldiers took part and contended for prizes. These--which the chums -always watched with the utmost interest--often took the form of actual -combats. Sometimes they were between two champions, sometimes between -parties of fifty or a hundred; and amongst the latter there were often -many 'slain' on both sides; but they always came to life a little later, -none the worse for the experience. - -Then it was that the chums saw the use made of the shields borne by the -soldiers, which Gerald had first noticed when he had been a prisoner. -They were, as stated, transparent, and it now appeared that they were -used as a protection against the mysterious power of the 'tridents,' or -'electric guns.' Just as electricity will not pass through glass, so -the curious 'flash' from the tridents could not pass through these -shields. The heads, feet, and legs of the combatants, and some other -parts of their bodies, were also protected in similar fashion, so that -they appeared to be partly dressed in shining armour. They wore -helmets, breastplates, and leg and thigh pieces, which looked like -glass, yet were not brittle, and which, like the shields, were proof -against the power of the tridents. - -Thus, a duel between two antagonists equipped in this manner resolved -itself, to a great extent, into a trial of skill in the use of the -shield. Through it each could see the other; and many were the feints -and stratagems resorted to by a practised fighter to get at his foe -behind his shield. - -Every night King Ivanta held a levee or other Court function, which all -who were off duty were free to attend, and at which very curious -entertainments were sometimes provided. - -Altogether there was no lack either of occupation or amusement during -the three months which the voyage lasted. - -Gerald and Jack applied themselves assiduously to learn the Martian -language, and in this they were joined by Mr Armeath. Then, by way of -relaxation, they gained the king's permission to learn the mysteries and -use of the trident and shield. Monck fitted them out in suits of the -shining armour, and they practised under the instruction of one named -Aveena, a young noble of the Court. Thanks to his tuition, they became -so expert that they entered for contests before the king, and came off -victorious in more than one bout with others of their own age. Silas -Zuanstroom was one of those they each vanquished in turn; only with the -result, however, of increasing the coldness which had grown up between -the two parties of travellers from the Earth. - -One day, Gerald met with yet another disagreeable adventure in the Zoo, -and again narrowly escaped a terrible death. This time it was a large -venomous serpent of vicious and aggressive disposition, which (again by -some 'accident') had got loose just about the time when Gerald, unarmed -and unsuspicious of danger, was taking his stroll round the cages. -Monck came upon him, a little later, clinging to the upper branches of a -tall palm-like tree, which the serpent was slowly climbing, bent on -reaching him. - -This time the engineer reported the matter to the king, who sternly -ordered a strict inquiry with the object of finding out who was to -blame. But no evidence was forthcoming to show that the occurrence had -been other than an accident; and the affair ended in the punishment of -one of the keepers in charge for negligence. - -But more exciting events were steadily preparing, and began to develop -as the voyage went on. - -One morning the two chums were called into Armeath's private apartment, -where he was awaiting them with Monck. He explained that he had -received the king's permission to impart to them an important piece of -information. 'I am going to entrust you with a bit of a secret,' said -he, 'and I must ask you to regard it as confidential, and say nothing -about it to any one--particularly to the Zuanstrooms; which, of course, -includes the two lads. Doubtless you have wondered what it was which -induced King Ivanta to pay a second visit to our Earth. It is this, -that what we call precious stones do not exist naturally in Mars. None -were ever seen there until the king brought back a quantity after his -first visit.' - -Gerald burst into an exclamation. 'Just what I guessed, sir,' he cried. -'I have had that idea in my mind for some time!' - -'It was a shrewd guess, lad,' Monck observed. 'The fact is, that once -the Martians had set eyes on them they went almost mad over them, and -became clamorous for a larger supply to be brought, in order that those -who could afford it might be able to purchase some. - -'Our gracious master, who is continually thinking what new thing he can -do to please his people, determined to pay a second visit to the Earth -specially to secure a large supply. Hence his taking up with -Zuanstroom, the "Diamond King." But Zuanstroom was not easy to arrange -with. When he learned the actual state of the case, he insisted, as a -part of the bargain, that my master should promise to bring him over to -Mars for a trip, and take him safely back. Nothing less would satisfy -him.' - -'I see,' said Jack. 'And I suppose his diamonds are on board too--a -whole shipload of them, so to speak?' - -'Exactly. The greatest load of treasure, I suppose, that has ever been -carried on any ship of the air or the sea.' - -'But,' said Gerald, 'the Zuanstrooms know all this. Why mustn't we -speak to them about it?' - -'Because, at this point, I come to my story,' Armeath said, with a -half-smile. 'For years I have been experimenting, trying to manufacture -precious stones artificially. At last I succeeded in getting diamonds -from a certain mineral; only to find, however, that the discovery was -almost valueless, because I could not get enough of the particular -mineral. I found out that there was some in the island we have been -living on, and that was the reason I went there to stay for a time. -When, however, I understood what King Ivanta wanted, I told him of my -experiments, showed him the results, and he was highly delighted. He -said it would be easier and cheaper to manufacture diamonds than to buy -them from the Diamond King on his own terms.' - -'But how can that be done, sir, if the necessary material is so scarce?' -asked practical Jack. - -'You shall hear. King Ivanta recognised the mineral, and declares that -there is plenty of it to be obtained from the planet Saturn. He saw -quantities of it when he was there!' - -'Then we are to go to Saturn to obtain a supply; I suppose?' cried -Gerald, full of enthusiasm at the prospect of this new and unexpected -addition to their programme of adventure. - -'That I cannot yet say,' replied Armeath. 'We must hear what the king -says.' - -'But, sir,' exclaimed Jack, 'you would not think of leaving us -alone--stranded--upon a strange planet! Suppose you never came back!' - -'It is not a pleasant place to visit; I can tell you that much,' Monck -put in. 'Saturn, at the present time, is in the stage which the -scientists tell us the Earth was in, ages ago, when the great -antediluvian monsters existed. Those monsters--or similar ones--are -alive now on Saturn; and terrible creatures they are, I can assure you! -The _amalpi_--the unicorn-like animal which hunted you, Master -Gerald--is one which we managed to capture and bring back from Saturn. -But it is small and almost harmless compared with some of the animals -and reptiles we saw there! I do not think I would go there again, Mr -Armeath, of my own choice, even for the sake of bushels of diamonds!' - -'If I go, it will not be exactly for the reason you suppose, my friend,' -returned Armeath. He spoke very gravely, and with a note of sadness in -his tone. 'Your king, in most things, has shown himself a very wise -monarch; but I think he has made a mistake in introducing jewels at all -amongst his subjects. Upon our globe they have always been the cause of -heartburning, envy, jealousy, and all kinds of evil passions. In too -many cases they have proved, as all of us know, a veritable curse, and -have led to crimes innumerable. But, for good or for evil, your master -has made certain promises, and arranged certain things with the Diamond -King. King Ivanta's people are all agog, waiting in clamorous -impatience for the cargo of jewels which we are taking to them. It is -too late now to alter that; but, look you! what if I prove to them that -jewels just as good can be made as cheaply as bits of glass? What will -be the consequence?' - -'Nobody will want them,' Monck answered, laughing. - -'Just so! And that, in my opinion, would be for the future benefit of -all the inhabitants of Mars! It is for that--and with that idea -alone--that I am ready to risk the danger of a trip to Saturn.' - -'If that be so, then I am with you,' exclaimed the engineer. 'It is a -worthy object, and I will help you all I can! But to obtain the mineral -you want will be almost like undertaking over again the fabled labours -of Hercules, for the place where it exists is guarded by creatures more -formidable than the fabled Hydra, and more terrible than the worst of -the ancient dragons!' - - - - - *CHAPTER X.* - - *CAPTURED BY A COMET.* - - -The _Ivenia_, the great Martian airship, sped onwards upon its wonderful -voyage for a period of nearly two months without anything occurring to -interrupt its continuous progress. Then, one night, there came a -startling interruption of its smooth, gliding flight through space--one -that nearly terminated it for good and all. - -It so happened that the two chums were sitting up that night with Mr -Armeath in the conning-tower, a privilege but seldom accorded to any one -not actually engaged in the navigation of the ship. The officer in -charge, however, was one named Malanda, the one who had been in -attendance on the king when Gerald had saved his life. He it was who -had recognised the lad at the critical moment when he had been a -prisoner, and since that time he had treated him with marked kindness. - -The conning-tower was a roomy apartment, very curiously constructed. It -could be raised or depressed by mechanical means, so that at some times -it projected above the outer surface of the ship, while at others it was -just level with it. In the former case there was a clear view in all -directions except immediately beneath; in the latter there was no direct -view save upwards; but the images of outside objects were then thrown on -to a screen, as in a camera-obscura. - -Upon this eventful night the conning-tower had been raised, and the two -chums had been amusing themselves by peering through powerful telescopes -at the heavenly bodies around them. - -It was truly a wonderful, a fascinating sight, and one which Gerald, -especially, was never tired of contemplating. The various -constellations blazed out with a vividness and beauty far exceeding -their appearance as seen through our atmosphere from the surface of the -Earth. Thanks to Malanda, the two lads had learned to distinguish the -planets from the far-more distant fixed stars. They knew that the -latter were at such tremendous distances that they 'didn't count,' as -Jack put it; the only ones they were likely to have anything to do with -being the planets, which, like our Earth, are always revolving round our -sun. - -Of course, as they were going to visit Mars, they watched that orb -particularly; and they felt a special interest in noting how its -pinkish-red light increased in size and intensity as they drew nearer. -Next in interest came our Earth, which they had so recently left, whose -bluish light waned exactly in proportion as that of Mars waxed stronger. -Then there was beautiful Saturn, with its wondrous rings of light; -perhaps they were also to visit that mysterious orb, and learn what -those lustrous bands were composed of! - -Besides these, there were plenty of curious things to watch and admire. -The planets had their moons in attendance upon them--some having two, -some as many as eight--all behaving as our own moon does--each, that is -to say, showing in turn as a thin crescent, a half-moon, a full-moon, -and so on; and the voyagers had watched these changes with interest -which never flagged. It seemed such a strange thing to think of: -several moons round one planet; one, perhaps, a new moon; and two or -three others near the full, all shining at the same time! - -Now, it was while they were gazing at these beautiful sights that Jack -noticed a tiny speck of light which struck him as unfamiliar. He -mentioned it in an undertone to Gerald, who, just then, was -half-watching what was to be seen of Saturn, half-dreaming of what lay -beyond. Gerald pointed his telescope in the direction indicated, and -looked at the speck of light, but seeing nothing particular in its -appearance, turned his attention again to other objects. - -Jack, however, was more observant. His acute, practical sense had told -him that here was something different from anything he had seen before. -He promptly recognised two or three very important points in connection -with it. One was that its light was different in colour from that of -anything else he could see. Another was that it was very unsteady, yet -it did not 'twinkle' as do the far-distant stars; and yet another was -that it was growing in intensity very quickly. - -'Therefore,' said Jack to himself, 'I believe it must be comparatively -near, and coming towards us at a most tremendous rate.' Finally, he -drew Mr Armeath's attention to the phenomenon. - -Armeath in turn pointed it out to Malanda, who had no sooner glanced at -it than he rushed across the floor of the chamber to some levers, which -he began to manipulate, at the same time setting a number of bells -ringing in various parts of the great aerostat. One of these, as it -afterwards appeared, rang out its urgent message in the -sleeping-apartment of the king, who roused at once from his slumber and -hurried to the conning-tower. - -Before his arrival, however, the alarm bells had summoned others to the -place, and from their excited talk the chums quickly learnt the cause of -the excitement. For they had worked at the study of the Martian -language to such good purpose that by this time they could understand -most of what was said. - -There were many confused exclamations, and much incoherent talk; but -amidst it all they heard again and again the cry, 'A comet! A comet!' - -Just then Jack found the engineer Monck beside him, and he asked for -further information. - -'I cannot tell you much about it now, my lad,' was the reply; 'but I -know that this is one of the gravest dangers of our voyage. Comets have -well been called "the spectres of space." The planets and their moons -move in certain well-defined orbits or tracks, and you know exactly -where you are likely to meet them and what to do if you wish to avoid -them. But comets seem to be controlled by no known law, and you never -can tell where you may encounter them. Compared with any of the planets, -they are, of course, small; but they are enormous compared with our -aerostat, and quite big enough to accomplish our destruction if one of -them ran against us. So you can understand that great care is necessary -when one is sighted.' - -'These people seem very excited; do you think there is serious danger, -sir?' Gerald asked. - -'No, no--a--at least, I hope not. But when a comet is anywhere near it -is always a relief when we are safely past it. You will see, however, -that all will quiet down when our royal master is here. He is the only -one, I believe, who really knows how to meet the danger.' - -The words were scarcely spoken when they were verified by the king's -arrival. As his stately form strode into the chamber, a great hush fell -upon those assembled there, and, like magic, quiet and orderly procedure -took the place of what had looked very much like unreasoning panic. - -He stood for a few moments gazing around to take in the situation, then -he looked at the advancing comet, which could now be plainly seen -without any telescope furiously rushing, at tremendous speed, seemingly -straight at the ship. - -Flashes and bursts of light accompanied it like explosions of mighty -bombshells, lighting up the interior of the conning-tower as might -flashes of terrible lightning. Already it had grown from a tiny speck -of light to a ball of fire as large as our moon looks at the full; and -it was rapidly growing bigger and bigger. - -Then Ivanta gave a series of orders in sharp, commanding tones, and some -of the crowd of officers went off to execute them. The doors of the -chamber were closed, and a moment later the conning-tower sank down, and -all became dark save for a fiery image which was now to be seen upon a -large screen. This gave a view of the comet as it would have appeared -if they had still been looking direct at it. From the apparent size of -a moon it had now grown to twice as large as our sun looks to us. Its -shape was no longer round, but was changing each second, the continual -explosions sending out irregular masses of fire upon all sides in turn. - -Even as seen upon the screen it was an awful sight to look upon. It -seemed like some gigantic, fiery monster bent upon devouring them. - -Armeath put a hand affectionately upon each of his wards. He could see -that the position of the aerostat was critical, and that they were all -in terrible danger. It was not a moment for talk or comment, but he -bent down and whispered a few words in the ears of the two lads. 'We -are in the hands of God, my boys,' he said devoutly. 'Such things as -these are but some of the smallest and most puny of His great works! If -He so wills it we shall pass the danger safely, and live to remember it -with admiration and wonder in place of fear!' - -The fiery shape grew in size till it covered the whole screen, and in -intensity till, even as thus reflected, the light from it was almost -blinding. Then there came a close, stifling feeling, and the chamber -grew so hot as to become almost intolerable. They were conscious of -something which whizzed past them with a frightful roar. In a second it -was gone, and the heat and light grew perceptibly less. - -'It has passed!' murmured Armeath; and he breathed a prayer of -thankfulness. - -Monck, who had remained alongside them, gave a gasp of relief. - -'That's the nearest brush we've ever had since I 've been on board!' he -muttered. - -'Has it really gone? Are we safe now, do you think, sir?' Gerald asked -in a whisper. Both lads had held their breath at the critical moment. -Though they had shown no signs of panic, the strain had been pretty -severe, and they breathed more freely now. - -'Yes, it has gone--shot past us like a flash. And now'---- - -Suddenly the aerostat gave a lurch, and then swerved from its course so -abruptly as almost to throw the voyagers off their feet. To them it -felt as if it had swung round in a great half-circle, and was now flying -along in the opposite direction to that in which they had been going. - -It was the first time since leaving the Earth that the travellers had -experienced anything that could be called a jar or swerve; and they now -stared at one another in startled surprise. - -What could it mean? - -Ivanta's voice was heard issuing hurried orders, and his officers -hastened to execute them. Malanda crossed the floor to handle a lever -near to where Monck was standing. - -'What is it, friend Malanda?' asked the engineer, in an anxious -undertone. - -'We are caught in the attractive power of the comet,' was the answer, -'and it is pulling us along after it. Unless we can manage to fight -free, this ship will follow the comet through space as long as it may -continue to rush about on its erratic journey, which would probably mean -at least a thousand years!' - - - - - *CHAPTER XI.* - - *'WELCOME TO MARS!'* - - -The minutes which followed Malanda's startling announcement were anxious -ones indeed for those of the voyagers who had heard it. The great -majority on board, however, were happily ignorant of what had happened, -and knew nothing about it till subsequently. - -Even Armeath and his companions could not afterwards tell much more -about it than has been here set down, for the reason that Ivanta ordered -the conning-tower to be cleared of every one save two or three of his -officers. So they had to march out with the others; and of what went on -inside, or whether the aerostat was likely ever to struggle out of its -fearful position, they in the meanwhile knew nothing. For what seemed a -long, weary time they could only wait on in suspense while the issue was -being decided. - -It was a good half-hour before the welcome news was brought to them that -the king had succeeded in getting his ship free from the comet's -sinister influence; and then no further particulars were vouchsafed. -How it had been done was again one of those secrets which Ivanta kept -strictly to himself. All that was made known was that the aerostat had -now resumed her voyage, and that, as it happened, no harm had been done. - -A few days later, Gerald was seated in one of the large conservatories, -reading a book which he had borrowed. Both he and Jack could now read -the Martian language fairly well, and they found in the library on board -a new storehouse of wonders of the most fascinating description. Hearing -footsteps, he glanced up, and saw that Tom Clinch had come to seek him. - -'Could I 'ave a wurd wi' you, Mr Gerald?' Clinch asked. - -'Certainly, Tom. What's the trouble?' - -'Well, Mr Gerald, it be like this. I've 'eerd--it's odd 'ow things do -get about--as we was nearly run down t'other night by a comet or some -such blamed foolishness.' - -Gerald looked with surprise upon the weather-beaten features of the -faithful henchman, and with difficulty repressed a smile as he noted -their woe-begone expression. - -'I don't know how you managed to learn so much, Tom,' he answered -quietly; 'but something of the kind did occur, I believe. Still, there -is no occasion for you to take it so seriously. The danger is past; and -they tell me it's not likely to happen again during the rest of our -journey.' - -But Tom Clinch was not so easily comforted. He shook his head with a -dissatisfied grunt. - -''Ow does they know?' he asked dubiously. 'They doan't keep a proper -lookout, Mr Gerald, that's what's the matter, else they 'd 'a sighted -this reckless galoot afore she got so near. They'd 'a seen as she -wurn't under proper control, an' they should 'a sounded the siren. Why -doan't they 'ave somebody perched on the top, outside, in a little sort -o' crow's-nest? They could 'ave a speakin'-tube to shout through if ye -like.' - -'I 'm afraid it wouldn't answer; it would be rather uncomfortable--and, -um--well, a little cold for the man outside,' replied Gerald gravely, -though his eyes were twinkling. 'But is that all you wish to say?' - -'Why, no, sir. Me an' Bob Reid, we've talked it over, an' we's agreed -t' offer t' run the look-out for 'em, turn an' turn about, if ye likes. -We's old sailors, an' we knows the ropes, an' we 'd keep a proper watch. -Seems t' me as the people aboord 'ere be mostly landlubbers, what ain't -got no nautical knollidge like.' - -Gerald listened with a sympathetic air, for though he was naturally -vastly amused, Tom looked so very much in earnest that he had not the -heart to seem to ridicule his well-meant suggestion. - -Promising, therefore, that he would make the generous offer known in the -proper quarter, he dismissed the old sailor, just as his chum Jack came -upon the scene. - -Gerald did not notice at the moment that Jack looked serious too, and -proceeded to tell him, with a laugh, what Clinch had been saying. - -'Fancy the two honest old worthies talking this over, and coming -sedately to me with such an offer!' said he. 'What an idea--that they -should have a lookout placed outside, where the temperature runs far -below that of liquid air! Jupiter!' - -Then he noticed, for the first time, that his chum was also looking -troubled. - -'Why, what's amiss?' he asked. 'You and Tom Clinch seem alike -to-day--you both remind me of the Knight of the Troubled Countenance. -You look as if you wanted cheering up. You should read this book I 've -got hold of; it would make you laugh.' - -'What is it about?' - -'It's written by some old Martian crank of an astronomer, and contains -his speculations upon the subject of the Earth. They call us, you know, -the evening star; for so our planet appears to them, just as Venus does -to us. Well, he is writing and speculating about their evening -star--that is, about our world--and he declares his conviction that it -cannot be inhabited by human beings like those living on Mars. He -argues that because the light from our Earth shines with a bluish tint, -therefore, if there are people on it, they must have blue skins. He -brings forward a lot of most convincing arguments to support this -theory, and winds up by declaring that if our world is really inhabited, -it can only be by a race of ape-like creatures, with blue skins and -bodies partly covered with green hair!' - -'H'm! So much for some people's scientific theories. However, I 've -got something else to talk to you about just now. While you 've been -reading and dreaming, and going about with your head in the clouds'---- - -'Above the clouds, Jack--far, far above the clouds! Be practical, now. -Consider! Are we not far above the clouds?' - -'Will you listen, you incorrigible dreamer?' exclaimed Jack impatiently. -'I want to tell you that I am afraid there is some fresh trouble brewing -in which those Zuanstrooms are mixed up. Two or three times lately I -have come upon their youngster, Freddy, wandering about in melancholy -fashion, and when I asked him why he was alone, he said, each time, that -they had sent him out because the "ugly old man" had come there to talk, -and he was in the way. Now, by "ugly old man" Freddy means the one you -called the Ogre--Kazzaro. The question naturally suggests itself, why -should there be secret conferences between that worthy and the Diamond -King?' - -'Seems funny, doesn't it? Have you mentioned anything about it to our -guardian or Mr Monck?' - -'Not yet. You see, I haven't anything definite to go upon. But I 'm -going to keep my eyes open, and I mean, if I can, to find out what it -really is that is going on between the Zuanstrooms and the crowd they've -become so thick with.' - -'Well, I'll help you to keep an eye on them too. Neither Kazzaro nor Mr -Zuanstroom is any friend of ours; that we know. I do believe that if -they could have their way they would throw us off the ship, and leave us -to go whizzing about in space like a couple of little comets.' - -However, time passed on without anything further occurring to strengthen -Jack's suspicions; and soon they were almost forgotten in the interest -and excitement which sprang up and grew from day to day as they neared -the end of the voyage. - -The apparent size of Mars was visibly increasing each time they looked -at it, till at last it seemed to take up the whole of the firmament in -front of them. It was a wonderful, and in many ways an awe-inspiring, -sight. For, just as when they had been leaving the Earth it seemed to -be our globe which was travelling away from them--not they from the -Earth--so now Mars appeared to be coming towards them, and at a -frightful pace. Majestic, magnificent, inconceivably grand, it certainly -was; but there was something oppressive in its very grandeur, something -awful in its swift, silent approach, something terrible in its -overwhelming greatness. - -Seas and continents began to show upon its surface, till the wondering -spectators could see the whole of one side laid out as on a gigantic -map. And there, plain to the eye, were the so-called 'canals,' those -curious constructions or formations which our earthly astronomers have -viewed through their telescopes and puzzled over for so many years, and -which are supposed to be artificial canals upon a gigantic scale. - -At last, the _Ivenia_ entered the planet's atmosphere, through which -they had been viewing everything as through a faint-pinkish haze. Then -a great change took place in the outward appearance of the aerostat. -The upper covering was removed, the immense wings were spread, a -beautifully carved and decorated 'figurehead,' like the head of a -colossal bird, was run out at one end and a tail-like addition at the -other. - -Monck led Mr Armeath and his companions out on to the upper deck. - -'You may now safely venture into the open air,' he observed; 'for, -unknown to you, the air within the aerostat has been gradually changing, -and becoming denser. We are all, therefore, now acclimatised, and you -will feel no ill effects.' - -As they looked through their glasses, the two lads uttered exclamations -of astonishment and admiration. - -Below them could be seen an extensive city, built beside an arm of the -sea, which, instead of being blue, was of an ethereal, rosy tint. There -were towering palaces and noble buildings, vast embankments and -terraces, surrounded by beautiful gardens, amidst which could be -distinguished stately colonnades, winding streams, and glistening -fountains and cascades. - -The _Ivenia_ swept downwards with a swift, gliding motion, in a series -of wide circles, like some giant bird poised on outstretched wings. -There was no vibration, no jar, no motion even of the wide-spreading -wings as she sank lightly and gracefully through the air. - -And as she descended, the air below became filled with what at first had -the appearance of a great flight of birds. - -Gerald asked what they were, and Monck bade him look again through his -glasses. Then he saw that what he had mistaken for distant birds were -in reality numbers of flying-machines mounting upwards to meet the -_Ivenia_. - -A little later these smaller air-craft were swarming round the great -aerostat, the occupants uttering shouts and cries of joyous welcome to -their returning king. These flying-machines were of all shapes and -kinds, and they thronged round Ivanta's superb 'chariot of the skies' as -might a swarm of steamers, yachts, and other craft round a mighty -warship bearing our own king back to England's shores after a foreign -trip. - -Finally, the wondrous structure landed easily and quietly upon the -ground in the midst of a vast crowd of people; and, as she came to rest, -King Ivanta stepped out from the conning-tower and showed himself to the -shouting throng. - -Then, turning to Armeath and the others whom he had brought with him as -guests, he said, with a charming mixture of royal dignity and kindly -condescension, 'Welcome, my friends! Welcome to our world! Welcome to -Mars!' - - - - - *CHAPTER XII.* - - *PRINCE ALONDRA.* - - -As King Ivanta spoke to his visitors the words 'Welcome to Mars!' there -came a rustling sound, and a strange figure, shining and glistening in -the sunlight, suddenly appeared on the deck beside him. - -So rapidly had it arrived that the startled spectators scarcely saw more -than the sheen from its resplendent body before it was amongst them, -alighting with the grace and ease of a swallow close to the king, whom -it addressed in joyous, laughing accents, 'Welcome, father! welcome -home!' - -Even King Ivanta was evidently taken by surprise, for at first he -scarcely seemed to understand this arrival any more than the strangers -from Earth did. The next moment, however, he had clasped the radiant -vision in his arms in a close embrace. Then he drew back and regarded -the youth--for such the figure was--critically. 'Why, Alondra, my son,' -said he, 'what is this surprise?' - -Alondra, as the visitors were soon to learn, was Ivanta's son, his only -child. He was about the same age as Gerald, with an exceedingly -handsome, open, merry-looking countenance, lithe and graceful in figure -and in every movement. On this occasion he was clad in a most bizarre -costume, which included two large wings, just now folded back behind the -shoulders, and trailing on the floor of the deck. - -It was impossible to guess what these wings could be made of. The -surface was composed of thin, feathery flakes in constant motion, which -glistened in the sunshine with iridescent brilliance, something between -the sheen of silver and the sparkle of crystal. A tunic of the same -marvellous material covered the body to the knees, below which were -attachments like smaller wings, which now fitted closely round the -ankles. - -Evidently this wondrous outfit was as new and surprising to the king as -it was to the strangers. - -The youth seemed delighted at the impression he had created. He walked -to and fro, opening and folding his wings, and turning this way and that -to show them off to advantage. - -'Almost all my own invention, father,' he laughed, as he moved -about--'mine and Amaldo's! We were afraid we should not get it finished -and in working order before your return. Indeed, I only took my -trial-flight in it yesterday! Is it not a splendid creation'?' - -He opened the wings and fluttered them in the sunlight. Ripples of -light and dancing colours ran incessantly over the surface, producing -effects so exquisitely varied and beautiful as to be absolutely -indescribable. - -'It is perfect, Alondra! Truly, as you say, a splendid creation!' said -Ivanta admiringly. - -'These things, however, are a little too long when folded, as you can -see,' Alondra continued, looking down at them with a critical air. 'I -must have them shortened. You can see that if you are not careful you -may catch your feet in them and get a tumble.' - -In order the better to explain his meaning, he stepped backwards towards -Gerald, who was standing near, watching everything with intense -interest. - -Scarcely had the young experimenter uttered the words than he -involuntarily illustrated them, in the most practical fashion, by -tripping on one of the wings, and rolling over at Gerald's feet. - -Gerald stepped quickly forward to help him up, and in doing so was -astonished at the youth's seeming lightness. So light was he that -Gerald, in trying to raise him, lifted him clean off his feet, almost as -though he had been made of cork. As a consequence, Alondra came near to -losing his balance and rolling over again. Then the two stood staring -and smiling at one another. - -'Why, how strong you must be!' exclaimed the young prince. - -'H--how light you must be!' was Gerald's answer. And he looked so very -puzzled and perplexed that the other burst into a merry peal of -laughter. Then he turned to the king. 'Father,' he began, but stopped -and hesitated. - -Ivanta interpreted the inquiring look. 'Your surprising creation has -made me forgetful of other matters, my son,' said he. 'I owe an apology -to our friends here. These gentlemen, Alondra, are visitors from -Lokris, the planet I have been to visit. They are our guests. I need -not say more than that to commend them to your attention and care.--My -guests, this is my son, Prince Alondra, who, I am sure, is ready to add -his welcome to my own!' - -'That I am!' cried the young prince, his handsome face alight with -interest and surprise. 'A warm welcome to you all! Welcome to Zotis!' - -'Ah, they do not know our world by our name!' Ivanta reminded him. -'They call it Mars.' - -'Welcome, then, to Mars!' said Alondra. - -He held out both hands at once; and, as it happened, he caught hold of -one each of Gerald and Jack, and they returned his greeting as heartily -as it was given. Then he caught sight of Monck, who was standing a -little in the background. At once he made a dart for him. - -'Why, there is Monck Affelda!' he cried. 'You have returned, then! -Welcome, dear friend! I was afraid that, perhaps, when you got back to -your own world you would stay there, and we should never see you more!' - -'Alondra, here are others waiting to know you!' the king reminded him. - -And the lad at once turned obediently, with a look of quick apology at -Monck for not saying more at the moment. - -All the rest of the strangers having been duly presented, Ivanta gave -his attention to his own subjects, who were now streaming up the ladders -which had been let down the sides of the aerostat and crowding the deck -to pay their respects to their sovereign. - -Alondra, meantime, stepped back to where the two chums were standing -with their guardian and the engineer, and commenced a lively chat, -asking them a hundred questions concerning the world they came from, the -incidents of the voyage, and so forth. - -Both Gerald and Jack took to him at once. It was almost impossible, -indeed, to do otherwise. His frank, gay, smiling manner, his attractive -face, and easy, graceful air captivated them completely. Never, they -afterwards declared, had they met so attractive a personality. 'A true -son of the stars,' Jack dubbed him. Glad were they then that they had -made such good use of their time and had learned the language of their -hosts in advance. Even Silas, who presently joined the group, became -quite amiable under the young prince's genial influence; and little -Freddy fell in love with him then and there. - -Naturally, amongst these young people, there was a lot to ask about on -both sides. Question followed question, inquiries and explanations were -interrupted with exclamations of surprise, wonder, admiration, and -delight. - -Then Alondra caught sight of others who were known to him, among them -Aveena the young noble, and went off to greet them on their return. - -'He is a splendid youngster, the prince,' observed Monck admiringly. -'Everybody loves him. Clever, too--quite a young inventor, I can assure -you.' - -'What is this flying-dress affair?' asked Jack. 'Do people fly here, -then? Or is this the first time it has been done?' - -'To the last question the reply would be both yes and no,' Monck -answered. 'If you had noticed, as we came down, you would have seen -many aeronauts flying about singly amongst the various airships and -flying-machines.' - -'I thought I saw something of the kind,' Jack returned. 'But we circled -about so rapidly, and there were so many buzzing around, that I scarcely -had a chance to make them out.' - -'As you now know, the air here is very dense.' - -'To me it seems very light and exhilarating,' Gerald put in. 'I -expected, when you used to tell us it was so dense, to find, when we -arrived here, that we should scarcely be able to breathe.' - -'Ah, that is another matter which I will explain directly. As I have -told you before, the air here is so dense that to make a flying-machine -was never a matter of any great difficulty. For the same reason, with a -properly constructed pair of wings, you can, after a little practice -under expert tuition, very soon learn to soar into the air, and fly -about after a fashion. It has, however, hither-to, it must be -confessed, been a rather clumsy fashion. Now, this is the first time I -have seen it really gracefully and easily done. I knew before we went -away that Prince Alondra and his tutor--an old scientist named Amaldo, -who was also the king's tutor when he was a boy--were at work upon some -new device which was understood to be the prince's own idea originally. -What it was I never knew exactly, for they kept it a sort of -half-secret. Here, however, it seems, is the outcome of the idea; and a -very successful outcome too, so far as I can judge.' - -'What is the invention?' asked practical Jack. 'Does it consist, I mean, -in the dress, in the material of which it is composed--wonderful stuff -it certainly seems to be--or in a new shape for the wings, or what?' - -'Ah, that is exactly what I do not yet know any more than you. -Doubtless, the prince will enlighten us ere long--when he has enjoyed -the general mystification a little longer. - -'Well, now, to turn to the other point. You say the air here feels to -you light and exhilarating rather than dense and heavy. It is not -exactly the air which gives you this feeling; it is due rather to the -difference in what we call gravity. On Mars, things weigh only half what -they would weigh on our Earth. It follows that our muscles feel -stronger in proportion. It requires less strength, less exertion, to -lift your leg or your arm. Every action or movement, great or small, is -easier--even breathing. Therefore, you have a sense of lightness, of -ease, of unusual strength.' - -A light broke upon Gerald. 'I see! That was why the prince seemed so -light to me when I went to help him up just now!' he cried. - -'Exactly. We who have come from Earth, and who possess muscles used to -the greater weight of everything there, are all "strong men" here. You -will find this one of the first and one of the most curious of your -experiences here.' - -Just then they saw King Ivanta approaching, bringing Alondra with him. -They had left the crowd of richly arrayed courtiers and officers to come -across to Gerald. - -'Alondra,' said the king, indicating Gerald as they drew near, 'I wish -to commend this brave young gentleman to your especial care; and I hope -you two will become good friends. You must teach him to fly. If he -learns to fly as well as he has learned to swim, then I can testify that -he should make a clever performer; for he saved your father's life!' - - - - - *CHAPTER XIII.* - - *THE PALACE IN THE CLOUDS.* - - -Ivanta said a few more kindly words, and then returned to the brilliant -circle he had left, this time beckoning the Diamond King to accompany -him. - -'My father says I may conduct you to our home,' said Alondra, as the -king went away. 'So, if you are agreeable, we will start at once. My -yacht is waiting close by.' - -'We are ready, I think,' said Armeath. But in his manner there was some -hesitation. - -Monck interposed. 'You are thinking of your baggage,' he said, with a -smile; 'but you need not trouble. It will be looked after, and whatever -you want will be brought on afterwards.' - -'Good! That being so, we are at your service, Prince. Shall our -attendants come with us?' - -'I dare say they will feel a bit lost if you leave them alone in a -strange world,' laughed Alondra. 'So, by all means bring them with you, -if it so pleases you.' - -So Tom Clinch and Bob Reid, looking very confused and wonderstruck at -their new surroundings, were sent for; and the whole party followed -Alondra--who had been joined by Aveena--to the other end of the deck. - -Here, to their surprise, they found a most beautiful structure awaiting -them, moored, so to speak, to the _Ivenia_. - -Compared with the great aerostat in which they had made their memorable -voyage, she was like a tiny, graceful yacht beside one of our modern -warships; yet she was large and roomy enough to accommodate a numerous -party. - -Alondra led his guests across a gangway on to the deck, and then, -begging them to excuse him, he dived into a cabin. In a minute or two -he returned, having divested himself of his 'flying dress,' and -appearing now in a rich costume similar to that usually worn by the king -and his courtiers. - -He gave the signal, ropes were cast off, unseen engines began to work -with a quiet, smooth, scarcely perceptible vibration, setting in motion -several curious spiral contrivances which revolved round three masts. - -The 'yacht' rose quietly through the air, and when she was clear of the -_Ivenia_, wings spread out on each side. Then she sailed swiftly away -in a direction a little to the right of the city they had seen. - -'What a curious arrangement!' exclaimed Jack, as he watched the -revolving spirals. - -'They take the place of fans,' Monck explained. 'They are far more handy -and more powerful.' - -'And far prettier too!' cried Gerald. 'What lovely coloured devices -they make as they twirl round! They are like kaleidoscopes; and the -wings, too, seem to be spangled with gold.' - -'She is a beautifully designed structure in every way,' observed Monck. -'One of the latest and best, and also one of the fastest of our pleasure -yachts.' - -Meanwhile, a little apart, Tom Clinch and Bob Reid sat together, staring -about, noticing everything, and making their comments in low, awe-struck -tones. - -'Well, well! that ever I should live t' see the likes o' this!' said -Clinch. 'What d'ye think of it all, Bob?' - -'I 'm thinkin' what 'd happen if she was t' shift 'er ballast, Tom. I -do 'ope it be well stowed.' - -'Ay, ay, Bob. Theer be a lot in the way a ship be ballasted. But 'ow -do she manage t' keep up? That 's what beats me! Them wings scarcely -moves at all.' - -'Tom,' said Reid, leaning over to speak almost in a whisper, 'don't ye -notice what queer sort o' air this be 'ere? 'Tain't a bit like ourn at -'ome.' - -'No, it ain't. I notices that. What about it?' - -'It must be some o' the liquid air I've read of, as scientific chaps -thinks a lot of in our world. Depend on it, this is where it comes -from!' - -Tom slapped his thigh. - -'Right ye are, mate! That explanations it. That 's 'ow 'tis she floats -like this 'ere. They be all a-livin' 'ere in liquid air! An' them -wings bain't wings at all! They be fins!' - -Just then Monck drew Armeath's attention to a comparatively large, -heavy-looking airship which was just rising into the air from near where -the _Ivenia_ lay. - -'That,' said he, 'is one of King Agrando's war-vessels; or rather she -was formerly a war-craft, but now she serves the purpose of a private -yacht. She is just starting off to carry him and his people back to -their own country.' - -'Is that far away, Mr Monck?' Gerald asked. - -'Yes. A pretty good distance as distances are reckoned on this globe.' - -'The farther away the better, I should say,' muttered Jack. 'Good -riddance go with him!' - -A little while afterwards they neared a grand-looking mass of rock which -rose abruptly from the plains below. It was a precipitous mountain, and -upon its lofty summit, literally amongst the clouds, rose the noble -towers and domes of the most stately building the strangers had ever -seen. - -They realised at once that none of our earthly buildings could compare -with this magnificent pile. As the yacht rose in the air, and they -obtained a better view, their amazement increased, every moment -exhibiting more clearly its vast proportions and revealing some fresh -surprise. What it might be built of was a puzzle; for it shone through -the rosy haze with a golden lustre, and looked a veritable fairy palace -of the upper air. - -'Wh-what is that wonderful sight? Is it another town--a real town--or -an effect of sunlight among the clouds?' gasped Gerald. - -'That is King Ivanta's palace,' said Monck quietly. 'It is Alondra's -home--the place we are going to stay at.' - -'But how do you get to it?' - -'The way we are getting to it now; there is no other way. No person -could climb up that mountain. There is no road, no path to it. It can -only be approached by airship.' - -Just then a hoarse shout was heard, and there came a loud clanging of -bells and gongs. - -Amidst it all, Tom Clinch's voice was clearly heard. 'Avast theer, ye -galoots!' he cried. 'Port yer helm, ye blunderin' lubbers! Can't ye -see yer runnin' inter us?' - -So absorbed had the strangers been in gazing at the palace on the -mountain-top that they had not noticed a flying-craft which had been -travelling behind them, and had almost overtaken them. Alondra and his -attendants, seeing the effect produced upon his guests by the scene -before them, had reduced the speed, and allowed the yacht to float -upwards in leisurely fashion, omitting to look out for what might be -behind them. - -There was now a sudden bustle on board as the navigators rushed to the -various levers, and a moment later the yacht dropped suddenly with a -downward swoop, allowing the strange craft to pass harmlessly overhead. - -'Jupiter!' cried Gerald, 'that was a near squeak! What careless people -they must be! Is that sort of thing common here?' - -Monck scowled and shook his head. 'No,' he said curtly. 'And there -will be trouble about it to-morrow. Some one will be called to account -for it, you may be sure!' - -Alondra made no remark, but coolly resumed the journey as though nothing -out of the way had happened. - -Gradually they drew nearer to the mountain-top, and all the while fresh -beauties burst upon their view. Down the rocky sides tumbled mighty -waterfalls, which gleamed like masses of molten gold till they were lost -in clouds of golden spray below. Around the wondrous edifice itself -were now seen groves and terraces upon a tableland broken by hills and -dales extending far into the clouds beyond. - -The travellers from the distant Earth, reassured by Alondra's coolness, -gazed upon the scene of grandeur and sublimity in wondering silence, and -seemed for a while scarcely to breathe. So entranced were they that -they scarcely noticed when their yacht 'grounded' upon the summit of the -mountain, at a short distance from an imposing gateway which formed the -main entrance to the palace. - -A minute or two later they passed down a gangway, and then followed -their young host towards the gateway, which seemed to loom up larger and -higher as they approached it. - -Suddenly the massive gates were thrown open, and a stream of attendants -sallied forth and ranged themselves in two rows, between which the -guests were ushered into the building. Through wide galleries, open -courtyards, where fountains played among strange plants and flowers, and -up spacious staircases, they passed onwards to a central hall, where -they found another assembly of nobles and officials, evidently waiting -to receive them. - -At one end, upon a dais, was a throne of ivory and gold, and on each -side of it a number of richly upholstered seats. - -Alondra signed to his chief guests to seat themselves upon the latter, -while he himself occupied the throne. - -'Good friends,' said he, addressing the assembly, 'I bring you glorious -news--the news of the safe return of the king, my father! You have -doubtless already seen that his "chariot of the skies" has arrived? To -that I am rejoiced to be able to add the welcome tidings that my royal -father, and all who accompanied him, have come back safely and in good -health.' - -At this there was much shouting and clapping of hands upon the part of -the hitherto silent crowd. Evidently they had been awaiting news in -some suspense, anxious as to whether, though they knew the _Ivenia_ had -returned, some untoward accident might have happened to any of those on -board. - -'I am also the bearer, good friends, of commands to you from the king,' -continued Alondra, when the shouting had died down. 'By his wish I take -my seat here in his absence, to welcome in his name to his royal home -some strangers he has brought with him from a far-distant planet. Good -friends, that is all I need say to you! These strangers are the king's -friends and guests, and as such he bids you receive and treat them until -he comes himself to attend to their pleasure and comfort.' - -Then such a clamour was heard as fairly took the visitors by surprise. -It seemed even to surpass that which had greeted the announcement of the -king's safe return. Hands, handkerchiefs, banners, were waved, trumpets -blared, cymbals sounded. Finally, at a sign from the prince, there was -a general rush towards the dais, the friendly crowd almost tumbling over -one another, as each seemed determined to be the first to shake hands -with these strangers from a distant world. - - - - - *CHAPTER XIV.* - - *TOM CLINCH'S STATEMENT.* - - -When the plaudits which greeted the strangers had subsided, and the -strenuous handshaking had come to an end, Monck, at a signal from -Alondra, conducted them from the great hall to a private suite of -apartments. - -'These are assigned to you for your own use during your stay here,' he -explained. 'I may tell you, in confidence, that they have never been -occupied by any save guests of consequence. Therefore, the fact that -they have been allotted to you is one more proof that my royal master -desires to pay you special honour in the eyes of his people.' - -'It is very kind of him,' murmured Armeath, 'but a little embarrassing. -It is likely to cause misapprehension. We are no royal visitors, you -know.' - -'My master knows it also,' Monck reminded him. 'But he is not like -other monarchs. You know by this time, for instance, that he never -allows any one to address him as "your Majesty." He looks upon it as -unnecessary, and resents it as he does any kind of adulation or -flattery. He expects that we shall treat him with due respect as the -head of the State. If you go beyond that, so far from pleasing him, you -only offend him.' - -'And if you do less,' observed Gerald, 'why then'---- - -'I cannot tell you what would happen,' returned Monck drily. 'So far as -my experience extends, I have never seen it attempted.' - -'Truly, these are sumptuous quarters,' said Armeath, gazing round at the -richly furnished rooms. - -'You will find your sleeping apartments equally comfortable, with marble -baths attached, where you can have a swim before breakfast if it so -please you. Also, you will see there is an ample wardrobe from which to -select your Court dress'---- - -'Eh, what's that? Are we to put on Court dress, sir?' Jack stared, and -looked first at the engineer and then at his guardian in serio-comic -distress. 'Must we do that? We've never been used to that sort of -thing, you know!' - -'What does that matter?' said Gerald. 'When one goes to Rome one must -do as Rome does.' - -A little while later the two chums were looking over a collection of the -most gorgeous raiment they had ever set eyes upon. Gerald viewed the -dazzling costumes with enthusiastic admiration; but Jack was inclined to -regard them almost with disfavour. - -'Beautiful! Splendid!' exclaimed Gerald. 'Just what I have seen in my -sleep when I was a child, and I used to gaze at the stars and dream that -I went up into the heavens to visit them! In those dreams I went from -one star to another, and saw the most charming countries and places, and -all the good people in them were dressed in clothes something like -these.' - -'And how were the bad ones dressed?' asked Jack quizzically. - -'There weren't any,' Gerald declared stoutly. - -'What! No ogres, or giants, or bad fairies? However, it's odd, now, to -think of those old dreams of yours! I remember how you used to recount -them to us afterwards. It's curious to think how, after all, they seem -to be coming true, isn't it?' - -'Yes,' answered Gerald slowly, as the dreamy, far-away look came again -into his eyes. 'But this is only the beginning. If they are all coming -true, we have experiences before us more wonderful even than anything -that has happened yet! Perhaps it will turn out so. Who can tell?' - -'Well, I've got to that state of mind now that I sha'n't be so very much -surprised if they do; and if they don't, I 'm quite content with what we -have in hand,' said practical-minded Jack. - -Their two attendants were lodged in adjacent rooms, so that they might -be within call when wanted. Presently, Gerald looked in upon them to -see how they were getting on, and was much amused to see Reid staring -blankly at a heap of clothes, much as Jack had been doing but a little -while before. These costumes, it is true, were much plainer and less -pretentious; but they were, nevertheless, far finer clothes than either -of the two worthies had ever yet worn, or ever expected to. - -'Why, Bob, what's the matter?' Gerald asked. 'You look as dismal as if -you were going to have a tooth out!' - -''E 's a poor sort o' creechure sometimes, be Bob Reid,' said Clinch -sententiously. Tom was busy picking out the most showy dress he could -find, and attiring himself therein. ''E often doan't seem to know when -'e's in luck. What's these yer fine things sent for if we ain't t' wear -'em? Take what Providence sends ye, an' be thankful! Them's my -sentiments.' - -As he spoke he selected a coloured hat with a very high crown and poised -it on his head, opposite a looking-glass. - -'I never 'ad no 'igh 'at to wear afore, an' I ain't a-goin' t' throw -this chance away,' said Tom.--'Look at that, Bob Reid,' he continued, as -he surveyed himself in the glass and strutted to and fro. 'See 'ow it -sets off yer figger, me lad!' - -Gerald smiled, and was turning away, when Tom suddenly threw the hat on -one side, and, looking very serious, said, 'Mr Gerald, I wants a wurd -wi' ye. Ye knows as we was nearly run down a while since a-comin' up -'ere?' - -'Yes, Tom. Well?' - -'D' ye know who was in that blunderin' pirate as tried t' send us -rattlin' down on the rocks below?' - -'No, I saw no one. It was a strange-looking craft, and seemed to have -no one on board; though, I suppose, the people were really boxed up and -out of sight.' - -Tom looked cautiously round, as if doubtful whether there were any -hidden listeners. Then he came close to Gerald, and said in a whisper, -'But I see one on 'em! 'E were a-peepin' out o' a porthole! Nobody but -me was lookin', an' as soon as 'e see me 'e bobbed back.' - -'Well, who was it?' Gerald asked, impressed by Tom's manner. 'Any one -we--you or I--know?' - -Tom nodded portentously. - -'Ay, ay, sir; one who ain't no frien' o' yourn--the one ye call the -Ogre--an' a jolly good name for 'im too!' - -'Are you sure--quite sure, Tom? This may be a serious matter! You -should not say such a thing unless you are absolutely certain.' - -'As sure as I am that me 'ead be on me shoulders, sir. The ugly swab! -As if anybody could mistake 'is phizog!' - -Gerald reflected a while, then said, 'Say nothing to any one else about -this, Tom. Keep your own counsel. There may be nothing in it, and if -you talk it may get you into trouble.' - -'Ay, ay, sir! I shall be dumb about it onless ye tells me t' speak.' - -Presently a loud flourish of trumpets and sounds of shouting and a -general commotion announced that the king himself was approaching. -Monck led the visitors to a post of vantage outside the palace, from -which they could obtain a good view. - -The sun was near to setting, and its beams cast a lurid glow over the -scene--redder than any sunset they had ever seen on Earth. - -Below them was a vast plain with a few low hills, upon and round which -was the great city of Ivenia, looking vast and glorious, with -magnificent buildings extending in one direction pile upon pile almost -as far as the eye could see. On the other side lay the sea, glistening -like molten copper. - -The king's air-yacht--larger and more beautiful even than the one they -had come in--was seen rising majestically towards them, surrounded by -hundreds of smaller air-craft, their decorations glittering and -sparkling in the sun's red beams. There was no booming of cannon, as -would be the case with us, but a loud, musical, humming sound, which was -curiously agreeable to the ear. - -When in due course Ivanta landed upon the height, a few of the craft -accompanying him landed also, and from them poured out a stream of -people splendidly arrayed, who trooped after him in procession to attend -the reception in the palace. - -This was a repetition upon a larger scale, so to speak, of the function -at which Prince Alondra had presided, Ivanta this time occupying the -throne himself, with the young prince beside him. As before, places of -honour were given to the strangers, amongst whom the Zuanstrooms were -now included; and the proceedings were even more enthusiastic and of -longer duration, winding up with a grand banquet. It would take too -long to describe all that followed. It must suffice to say that the two -chums voted it the most wonderful entertainment that they had ever heard -of or that imagination could picture; and when at last they lay down -together for their night's rest they were both about tired out. - -Now, however, that the dazzling excitement of this wonderful day was -over, and they were once more alone and quiet, the memory of their -narrow escape from death and of what Tom Clinch had said came back to -Gerald's mind like the proverbial skeleton of the feast. - -He had had a talk with Monck about it, and had been rather snubbed for -his pains. The engineer said he had seen Kazzaro go with his master on -board the large ex-warship which he had pointed out as serving now as -Agrando's private yacht. Therefore, the Ogre could not possibly have -been where Clinch said he was. - -And Monck had ended the talk by rather curtly advising Gerald not to -hunt for mares' nests, and warning him to be careful not to mention such -suspicions to any one else. - -'We shall make inquiries and find out who the people were who so nearly -ran us down,' Monck assured him; 'and they will be called to account for -their reckless navigation of the air. But I do not myself believe that -there was anything more than carelessness, nor that Kazzaro could have -been on board.' - -Gerald felt a little sore at the engineer's blunt refusal to believe -honest Tom Clinch; and Jack sympathised with him, and tried to comfort -him by declaring that he agreed with his view. - -'Depend upon it, Tom would not be likely to make a mistake in such a -matter,' Jack agreed. 'He is an old sailor, and is as sharp as a needle -in a case of emergency like that. My own opinion--strictly, of course, -between ourselves--is that that imp of evil we call the Ogre was there, -and that he deliberately tried to run us down and to kill us all, -including the king's son. You will remember my saying I believed that -some understanding existed between the Ogre and Zuanstroom. I am still -positive that I was right, and that there is some sinister mischief -brewing. Mr Monck may disbelieve it and laugh at the idea if he chooses -to, but don't you feel sore, old chap. I am afraid he will wish -by-and-by that he had treated our hints more seriously.' - -Gerald shivered. 'I would rather it should turn out that it is Monck -who is right and we who are wrong,' he returned. 'It's horrible to -think that we have come all this way, and incurred so many risks, only -to meet with plots and murderous attempts. It used not to be so in my -dreams,' he added moodily. 'I wonder why it should be so now? Mr Monck -gave us to understand that we were coming to a place where there were no -more wars, where King Ivanta reigned in peace and security, beloved by -all his subjects. Why does it not seem to be as he led us to believe? -Are we the cause? Is it due simply to the fact that the Zuanstrooms -don't like us--that they are angry because we came, or jealous because -the king shows more favour to you than he does to Silas?' - -'No; I don't think it is our fault,' said Jack, with decision. -'Zuanstroom has brought with him the biggest cargo of diamonds ever -seen; and, as Mr Armeath said, trouble was sure to follow. Now, dismiss -it from your thoughts, old chap, and go to sleep.' - -'I will; and perhaps some of the old dreams about the stars will come -back to me,' Gerald finished, with a sigh. 'I hope, if they do, there -will be no diamonds there!' - - - - - *CHAPTER XV.* - - *HUNTING THE GREAT MARS EAGLE.* - - -The time that followed upon their arrival on Mars was a period of great -enjoyment for the two chums. The gloomy feeling which had been caused -by their narrow escape upon that first day quickly passed away and was -now almost forgotten. - -Agrando and the Ogre stayed at home in their own country, and the chums -saw and heard nothing of them. Zuanstroom and his son went their own -way, for the most part making friends with the nobles and the chief -citizens, and seemingly bent only upon the acquisition of useful -knowledge concerning the country they were in and its inhabitants. - -Gerald and Jack, on the other hand, became the daily companions of the -young prince; and the three grew more friendly and intimate as the weeks -passed by. - -Alondra showed himself a charming host in his behaviour towards his -young guests, and did all he could to make their stay pleasant. He took -them about, showing and explaining such things as were new to them and -likely to excite their interest, and in particular initiating them into -the mysteries of the Martian sports and pastimes. In some of these, as -has been related, the two lads had already made themselves proficient -during the voyage; but those had necessarily been only of such a kind as -were possible in a comparatively confined space. - -To attempt to tell of the many strange things the visitors met with, the -novel and surprising sights they saw, and all their curious experiences, -would, however, extend this narrative to too great a length. It is only -possible to relate some of the more noteworthy. - -The one great marvel of the place--naturally, the one which had first -attracted their attention, and which was always in evidence--was the -fact that everybody went about in the air. No one ever thought of -travelling far in any other manner; no other kind of mechanical -locomotion was to be seen, except as regards the transport of heavy -goods. These were still carried to and fro on railways of various -kinds, or on other motor vehicles--'slow, old-fashioned affairs,' as -Alondra called them--or still slower 'electric ships.' None of these, -Monck explained, could travel at a faster rate than a hundred miles or -so an hour--reckoning miles as we do on Earth, and that was far too slow -to suit the Martians of to-day. - -'Fancy any one travelling at such an absurdly slow speed!' observed -Alondra, laughing at the idea. 'Yet, ages ago, in what some here call -the good, old-fashioned days, people, even upon the longest journeys, -had to be content with crawling about our world no faster than that! We -can travel far more quickly now, in our racing air-yachts, and I suppose -that on your planet, which we know is bigger than ours, you travel more -swiftly still?' - -Gerald thought of some of our old-fashioned, slow-going railways, and -blushed. 'I am sorry to have to confess that we do not,' he returned, a -little shamefacedly. He did not like having to admit at every turn how -far his native Earth was 'behind the age,' as things were understood in -Mars. But it was constantly the case, nevertheless. - -They sailed about almost daily in the young prince's yacht--the one -which had carried them up to the king's palace the first day--and they -were astounded at the speed she attained in the air. No doubt, as Jack -remarked, the marvellous _Ivenia_ must have travelled immeasurably -faster, or they would have been years upon their journey instead of -months. But they had scarcely been aware of her real speed, because -they had passed no object near enough to give any idea of the actual -rate at which they were being whirled through space. - -It happened that the prince's air-yacht had been named after our Earth. -She was called _Lokris_, which, as has been already made known, was the -name by which the Martians knew our planet. - -'She was built shortly after my father's return from his first visit to -your world,' Alondra explained; 'and I felt so interested in all he had -to tell me about it that I called her by that name.' - -At times there were 'air-regattas,' at which races were arranged for -various classes of airships and flying-machines. The prizes at these -were valuable and were eagerly competed for, and the _Lokris_ was -frequently one of the competitors. In these contests the young prince -showed himself a skilful and daring navigator of the air; and sometimes, -when the two chums accompanied him, they had some exciting experiences, -as the competing yachts whirled along, often neck and neck, at almost -incredible speed. At such times it was often the most -venturesome--almost, one might say, the most reckless--who came in -winners. - -Alondra was delighted to discover that in his two visitors he had gained -sailing companions after his own heart. He took special pains to teach -them to assist him in the handling of the yacht, and they soon grew -expert. Then the two sailors were instructed, and took the place of the -former crew; and the five became celebrated for their skilful and -fearless manoeuvring and for the number of races they won. - -Tom Clinch and Bob Reid entered into the spirit of the thing with great -gusto, and soon proved themselves as clever in the air as ever they had -been in the handling of sailing-boats on the water at home. And when -the prizes began to come in--half of which Alondra allotted to them, the -other half being distributed in charity--their satisfaction and delight -may well be imagined. - -It should be explained that these Earth-born assistants gained a -considerable advantage from the fact, which has already been noted, that -their muscles were stronger comparatively than those of the natives. -Thus the four on board the _Lokris_ could do the work of nearly double -the number of Martians--and as in this kind of racing the work was often -heavy, and required considerable physical exertion, the saving in weight -effected by carrying a smaller crew made an important difference. - -But the great sport of the Martians, it presently appeared, was -eagle-hunting. A species of eagle, very much larger than any on Earth, -had their eyries amongst some mountain peaks in a wild district some -distance away. In regard to size, the visitors found that birds were -larger on the average, while some animals were often smaller, than those -species on our earth which correspond to them. Certainly these -eagles--known by the name of krondos--were gigantic birds, swift and -very high flyers, and terribly savage, powerful creatures when attacked. - -Doubtless they would have been exterminated long ago but for the fact -that they had been expressly preserved for the purposes of sport, just -as foxes are in England. - -Packs of smaller tame eagles, of a different breed, were trained to hunt -them. Assisted by these, a party of Martian nobles would sally forth in -their air-yachts and chase the formidable giant eagles from peak to -peak, following them in their circling flights into the upper air or -their dizzy downward swoops, until some expert hunter-aeronaut contrived -to throw a net over the quarry and capture it alive. - -That was, briefly, the general procedure, Monck explained; but, as he -further remarked, it did not always come off as per programme. -Sometimes the krondos assumed the offensive against the hunters; and -cases had been even known of their dragging men out of the airships and -carrying them off, or dashing them down upon the rocks below. - -'The king has arranged for a grand krondo-hunt to-morrow, in your -honour!' Alondra one day informed the chums. 'We must be astir early in -the morning. You are to come with me in my yacht. Now you will see -some truly royal sport. Our air-yacht races are but as a children's game -compared with this!' - -It came to pass, accordingly, that at dawn a great procession of -air-craft, headed by the king in his own yacht--known as the -_Nelda_--started off in the beams of the rising sun for the district -which was the haunt of the great birds. - -An hour's run brought them to the hunting-ground, and the chums thought -they had never seen a more desolate tract. Great, rocky cliffs and -heights, and soaring mountain-peaks above, with dark, gloomy ravines and -valleys below, were its chief features--truly a suitable region for the -ferocious winged monsters they were in search of. - -Alondra was the first to sight one of the creatures; and, following the -rules of the hunt, turned his yacht quickly and dashed away in pursuit. -He was wearing, as it happened, through a fancy of his own, his new -flying-dress. Why, exactly, the chums who were with him did not know; -though he had hinted mysteriously at some new experiment he was desirous -of trying. - -As the _Lokris_ shot upwards, and then swerved to round a towering peak, -something went wrong with one of the revolving spirals; and Gerald, as -he had done before in a similar case, climbed up the mast to try to -right it. - -In the meantime, the speed was checked, and the craft passed closer to -the rock than had been intended. - -Other yachts, which had turned aside to follow, were catching them up; -and Alondra, who did not like this, was shouting excited instructions to -Gerald, when there came a loud rushing of wings as two immense dark -forms rose unexpectedly from off the rock and sailed upwards within a -few yards of him. One of the giant birds swung round in a narrow -circle, poised, and then swooped down upon the busy worker on the top of -the mast. - -So sudden and unlooked for was the rush, so powerful the clutch which -gripped him, that Gerald was forced from his hold; and a moment later -the bird, with its prey, was seen either flying or falling headlong down -towards the valley, thousands of feet below. - -A great shout of horror and dismay went up from the spectators; but, -even as the cries were heard, a glistening, shining figure flashed from -the side of the yacht. - -Alondra had dived through the air after his friend! - - - - - *CHAPTER XVI.* - - *IN DIRE PERIL.* - - -As Alondra disappeared over the side of the _Lokris_, Jack made a dart -at the controlling-gear and began handling the levers. They were placed -on a raised platform or bridge situated in the bow, in such a position -as to give the best all-round view for directing and managing the craft. -He had seen that Gerald had cleared the spiral just before he had been -attacked by the giant eagle, and that everything, therefore, was now -again in working order. Just before leaping off, Alondra had paused a -second to give him a look which said as plainly as words could have -done, 'I leave you in charge;' and Jack acted promptly upon the unspoken -wish. - -'Hold tight, everybody!' he shouted, and a moment later the airship -plunged downward. - -The _Nelda_, carrying King Ivanta and his party, had turned and dived -too; and the two airships came close together, and raced for a while -side by side in their swift descent. - -King Ivanta was directing his own craft, and he made signs to Jack, -indicating in dumb show his line of action. - -Below them, and, as yet, far ahead, could be seen the feathered monster -bearing off his prey, in what was now a more gradual downward sweep. -Alondra could be seen, too, in close pursuit behind. - -Jack understood Ivanta's meaning, and the two airships parted -company--one going off to the right and the other to the left. - -Then followed a most strange and terribly exciting chase. - -The desolate valley at its farther end opened out, and there, away in -the distance, could be seen a sheet of water forming an extensive lake. -It was the object of the pursuers to drive the krondo in that direction. - -This required very delicate and careful manoeuvring. If, on the one -hand, the bird were pressed too closely, it might drop its prey upon the -rocks beneath, which would mean for Gerald certain death. On the other -hand, it was advisable to force it to fly its hardest, so that it would -have no leisure to peck at its victim _en route_. Once it was over the -water, Alondra, who had armed himself with his trident, would probably -be able to deal with it. - -All this King Ivanta had conveyed to Jack in pantomime, for no words -could be heard amidst the rush through the air as the airships plunged -madly downwards. Jack had been quick to divine what was intended, and -now took his share in the hunt accordingly. - -The krondo, however, also seemed to guess what its pursuers were trying -to do, and it exhibited a desire to balk them by making for one or other -of the rocky precipices which rose like colossal walls on either side of -the valley. Every time it tried to do this, the king on the one side, -or Jack on the other, immediately swept round to head it off. - -Behind them came a number of other airships, which had formed now into -more or less orderly ranks, some above and some below. Their occupants -were watching all that took place with breathless interest, and held -themselves ready to close up if the bird should elude the leading -pursuers and break back. - -The position was rendered yet more difficult by the appearance of four -other krondos, which swooped down with blood-curdling screams, and -followed the first one, quite ready and willing to fight it on their own -account for the possession of its prize. - -In one respect this, perhaps, was an advantage, as it had the effect of -causing the robber to hold on to its prey more obstinately, and rendered -it less likely to drop it. But there was also the danger of the other -krondos closing round and pecking Gerald to death amongst them. - -Suddenly a new factor was added. From the king's yacht quite a flock of -birds emerged and began flying about with shrill cries and hoarse calls. -These were Ivanta's tame eagles--small birds, comparatively speaking, -but still, in actual fact, strong creatures, which had been trained to -hunt their giant cousins. - -At first they circled round and darted this way and that in seeming -confusion, no doubt dazzled by the light, for they had thus far been -kept hooded. But they quickly became accustomed to their surroundings, -and then a close observer might have seen that they were all watching -their master the king, as he stood plainly in view upon the prow of his -craft. - -He waved his hands, and away they flew in a compact cloud, heading -straight for the four krondos, just as they were beginning to 'mob' the -one which was carrying Gerald. - -Then ensued a battle-royal in mid-air, the sagacious, trained birds -dashing at the bigger ones and darting away again, harrying and worrying -them, as clever hounds will rush in at a wild boar, snap at it, and dart -away before the bigger beast has time to turn and rend them. - -This attack of the trained birds had the effect of turning the pursuing -krondos from their intended purpose. They had now enough to do to -defend themselves; and clouds of feathers could be seen falling through -the air, testifying to the severity of the combat. - -During the melee the first robber, glad of the opportunity of making its -escape with its prize, winged its way steadily onwards until at last it -was over the waters of the lake. - -Here its speed grew perceptibly less, and it began to dip in its -flight--unmistakable signs that it was tiring. For, large and powerful -as the creature was, the weight it was carrying was bound to tell upon -it sooner or later. - -The pursuing airships now came up, and while some forged on ahead, the -others closed round in such a manner as to hem the robber in. - -Alondra, who had been following the heavily burdened thief without any -great effort, made a sudden spurt, and, sweeping round, passed close to -it. There was a flash of light, and a sharp, crackling sound. - -[Illustration: There was a flash of light, and a sharp, crackling -sound.] - -Then the spreading wings drooped, the gigantic bird seemed to stagger -and shrink, and finally it collapsed. Robber and prey fell together -into the lake, and the waters closed over them. - -There were a few moments of anxious suspense. Was Gerald injured? Would -he be able to swim? These and similar questions were in the minds of the -spectators as they scanned the surface of the lake. - -Jack had turned his airship downwards as he saw Alondra make his rush, -and a moment or two after the bird's fall the craft alighted on the -water and lay gently rocking within a few yards of the spot. - -Jack and Clinch both sprang to the side, and there were two splashes as -they dived almost simultaneously. - -Just, however, as they disappeared from sight beneath the water, two -other forms emerged. One was the krondo, which floated motionless; the -other was Gerald, who was swimming vigorously, seemingly none the worse -for what he had undergone. - -A great cheer went up from the assembled crowd, which was renewed again -and again as first Jack and then Clinch reappeared, and, catching sight -of their friend, hastened towards him to offer their help. - -Just then the king's yacht descended close to the swimmers; a ladder was -thrown from her side, and Ivanta himself stepped down and assisted them -to climb on hoard. - -He soon satisfied himself by actual examination that no great harm had -been done. Gerald had some nasty scratches, and the muscles were -bruised in places; but otherwise he was unhurt, and was inclined to make -light of his adventure. - -'It's an experience that no one on our own planet can boast of,' he -observed with a smile. 'No one since the days of Sindbad the Sailor has -ever been carried off by a bird.' - -'I am thankful that it has been no worse, my lad,' said Ivanta, and in -his tone there was a note of deep and kindly feeling. 'It is an -unpleasant variation of our usual sport.' - -'I confess I was on tenterhooks the whole time,' said Armeath, who was -one of the king's party, 'and I am more relieved than I can tell you.' - -'Oh, it's all right, sir!' answered Gerald cheerfully. 'I am none the -worse, and I am quite ready to go on with the hunt. Don't let me spoil -your day's sport. Besides, I want to get a bit of my own back. Those -feathered brutes have hunted me; I want to hunt them before I 've done -with them!' - -'So you shall!' returned the king. 'But you must first put on some dry -clothes. Go down to my cabin, and Alondra will find you a change.' - -'I haven't thanked him yet for following up the beast so promptly,' -cried Gerald, turning to Alondra, who had just alighted on the deck and -grasped his hand. 'I saw all that went on! I saw you, Alondra, leap -down after me; and it was that really which turned the bird in the right -direction, for he was heading the other way!' - -'I noticed that,' said Alondra modestly. 'I remembered that there was -this lake ahead of us, and it struck me in a flash that the best--almost -the only--chance of saving you was to drive the krondo towards it. Of -course, I could have overtaken him and mastered him; but I could not -have supported you and battled with him too--to say nothing of the -others which would have been after us.' - -''Twas wisely thought out, my son,' Ivanta declared. 'I caught your -idea directly I noted that you had purposely turned the bird from the -line it had first taken. Our young friend here was prompt, too, in -following it up and aiding me to prevent it from breaking back,' he -added, indicating Jack. 'Now, go and change your clothes; and we will -give you your revenge upon the krondos.' - -Half an hour later they were back again in the valley which had been the -scene of Gerald's startling adventure. A desultory fight was still -going on between Ivanta's trained eagles and a pair of their foes. Upon -the rocky ground below lay one dead krondo and several of the smaller -birds. Of the fourth krondo nothing was to be seen; it had probably -taken refuge in flight. - -Ivanta looked at his dead birds with grave concern and regret. - -'This is my fault! I forgot to call them off!' said he. 'I do not like -to have my faithful feathered friends treated like this.' - -He put a whistle to his lips, and at the sound of it his eagles -obediently left the krondos they were 'mobbing;' and the latter at once -flew off. Evidently they had had quite enough of the fray, and were glad -of the chance of making good their retreat without further trouble. - -'We will find some more to chase presently,' observed Ivanta. 'First, -let us see what can be done for those of my eagles which are hurt but -not killed.' - -Armeath and his wards looked on with wondering approval as they saw the -attention Ivanta proceeded to bestow upon his wounded birds. It was -curiously characteristic of the man to delay the proceedings and keep -all his friends waiting for such a cause. - -Later on, the hunt was resumed, and the visitors had some lively -experiences among the mountain-peaks, though none quite so startling as -the first one. - -They found it, as Alondra had said they would, splendid sport. The -krondos were hunted out and pursued by the small eagles in all their -turns, and these were followed by the airships, just as the huntsmen -follow the hounds. There was the same rivalry, too, amongst the latter -to be 'in at the death.' - -Naturally, this necessitated some bold manoeuvring on the part of the -airships. At one time they would be circling through the upper air to -dizzy heights far above the highest mountains; then suddenly there would -be a turn and a mad plunge downwards for thousands of feet, as their -quarry swooped down almost to the level of the ground below. There were -many hairbreadth escapes from collisions; and altogether the sport was -about as exciting as the most daring or the most reckless could desire. - -'It beats the switchback railway business and all that sort of thing -hollow!' exclaimed Gerald that evening, when relating their experiences -to Freddy; for the Zuanstrooms had not joined the hunting-party. - -'Looping the loop's nothing to it!' Jack declared. - -Freddy looked wistful. 'How I wished I was with you!' he sighed. - -'H'm! I 'm afraid you are not old enough yet for that sort of thing, -youngster,' remarked Jack loftily. 'What has Silas been doing to amuse -you to-day?' - -'He hasn't been amusing me at all,' was the answer. 'It's been one of -my "bad days" again. The nasty, ugly old man has come back, and has been -with uncle and Silas all day; and whenever he comes I am always sent off -and left to amuse myself as best I can!' - -Gerald and Jack looked at each other. Jack gave a long, low whistle; -Gerald exclaimed under his breath, 'The Ogre again!' - - - - - *CHAPTER XVII.* - - *LESSONS IN FLYING.* - - -'It bain't no sort o' use; I shall never l'arn t' fly!' grumbled Bob -Reid, as he stood rubbing his bruises. He had just come 'a nasty -cropper,' and seemed, as he expressed it, to have 'hurt meself all over -at wanst.' One hand was rubbing a leg, while the other was busy with a -shoulder. 'If I 'ad 'alf a dozen more 'ands I could find plenty for 'em -t' do!' he continued ruefully. 'I seem t' be bruised everywhere. Let's -give it up, Tom, afore we suicides ourselves unintentional.' - -'Not I!' cried Tom Clinch, who was balancing himself on a ladder. He -flung his arms--to which two great wings were attached--about wildly, -and leaped into the air, gasping as he came floundering down. 'You see, -Bob, I 'll master it yet!' - -The two sailors had had some 'flying-dresses' lent them, and had been -practising and striving for all they were worth to learn the mystic art; -but somehow they could not, as Tom put it, 'fall into the knack.' - -'It be like swimmin',' Tom went on, between leaps and jumps which would -have done credit to a Spring-heeled Jack. 'It takes a long time t' fall -inter the knack'---- - -'Ye'll fall inter the ditch d'reckly,' Bob tittered, as Tom rolled over -on the ground. 'It's no use, Tom! Let's be sensible, an' give it up. -It ain't dignerfied like fur us two chaps at our time o' life!' - -'I be goin' t' try another jump from that there ladder,' returned Tom -obstinately. 'You needn't try no more if ye funks it! But when I -starts out to do a thing I don't like t' be beat! Other people 'ere -does it, so why shouldn't we?' - -'Ay, but they l'arns it in their young days,' said Bob. - -'Theer 's Mr Gerald--he's gettin' on fine! An' Mr Jack, too, ain't -doin' bad at it! He be a-practisin' now just out yonder--t'other side -that fence! There he goes now--a-soarin' up in grand style! I 'd give -'alf me month's wages t' be able t' go like that!' - -'It's that puff o' wind's took 'old o' 'im,' Bob declared, as he watched -Jack perform some rather curious aerial evolutions. 'Strikes me the -wind's got 'old of 'im, an 'e can't 'elp 'isself! Yes! Look out fur 'im -t' stop 'im, Tom!' - -Tom had just succeeded, at the moment this urgent warning was uttered, -in again climbing laboriously up the ladder on to a narrow platform -which had been erected as a 'jumping-off place' for fliers. - -There were several of these platforms, of various heights, placed at -intervals in some spacious fields laid out specially near the city of -Ivenia, for the use of those who were learning to fly, or experimenting -with small flying-machines. They might be likened to the -diving-platforms, with ladders leading up to them, which are to be seen -at some bathing-places. They were open to all, and were freely used by -old and young--especially the latter. It was no uncommon sight to see -numbers of boys and girls--some almost babies--fluttering about like so -many large butterflies. - -This particular morning the two sailors were practising on their own -account in one part, while Gerald and Jack were similarly engaged, not -far away, under Alondra's tuition. - -It was a windy day, with violent squalls at intervals, and lulls -between. Just at the time Tom climbed to the platform there had arisen -a very violent gust, which came sweeping across, bearing with it the -figure of Jack, with large wings whirling about like the sails of a -windmill. Whether he was purposely heading for the platform as a refuge -to which he could cling, or whether the unexpected violence of the wind -carried him there, it would be difficult to say. All that is certain -about it is that he cannoned against Tom Clinch, and a moment later the -two were gyrating and spinning in the air like a couple of gigantic -bluebottles. Then, as though poor Bob Reid had not already enough -bruises to attend to, the two descended like an avalanche plump on top -of him. Finally, Gerald, who had followed Jack in his involuntary -flight, sailed straight into the struggling group. Fortunately, at this -point Alondra arrived. He had come after the two chums to render them -his assistance, and was now able to help to disentangle them. - -'One o' my wings is broke!' cried Tom, as he sat up and surveyed the -wreck. - -'I'm afraid both mine are,' said Jack. - -'You 've broke my back atween ye!' Bob spluttered, as he rolled over. -'This settles it! No more flyin' fur me!' - -'I've had enough for to-day too!' Jack laughingly owned, as he proceeded -to divest himself of his flying outfit. 'It's a mistake for beginners -to practise on a windy day.' - -'I doan't practise no more--wind or no wind,' Bob declared in a tone of -conviction. 'All I wants now be some limbrokation--an' plenty on it!' - -'I think you only require a little more practice,' Alondra afterwards -assured the two chums, as they were walking home towards his yacht, -leaving their outfits to be brought after them by the two sailors. - -'I don't know,' said Jack doubtfully. 'We've been trying it for a good -while now, and we don't seem to make much progress. I begin to doubt if -we ever shall. It's different with you, you see. Your people have -learnt it more or less for generations, and it's in the blood, I fancy. -I think we shall have to be content with motor-wings.' - -Jack referred to the smallest form of flying-machine in use. It -consisted merely of a pair of wings worked by a small motor, a balancing -tail, and a saddle-seat on which the aeronaut perched himself. In many -respects it might be described as the aerial counterpart of our -motor-bicycle. - -From the incidents just related it will be gathered that the visitors -had not made much progress in learning the use of artificial wings. -Whether there was something different in their physical constitution, or -whether it was, as Jack was inclined to think, that the knack of flying -was becoming hereditary amongst the Martians, it is certain that neither -the youthful aspirants nor the two elderly sailors had so far been able -to master the tantalising secret of soaring into the air at will with -artificial wings alone. They could come down--from a height; but then, -as Tom Clinch remarked, 'Most people can do that wi'out any l'arnin'.' - -When, an hour or two later, Alondra's yacht landed them again at -Karendia, as the king's palace was called (the name meant literally 'the -palace in the clouds'), they found Monck awaiting them. - -'I have some news for you young people,' said he. 'Our royal master has -honoured me by entrusting me with a special mission to Sedenia (King -Agrando's country); and he will let you accompany me, so that you may -see something of another part of our world.' - -'I 'm willing, if you others are going, of course,' Gerald answered -readily, but without enthusiasm. He glanced at Alondra as he spoke. - -'I shall like very much to go with you,' said Alondra. 'It is a country -well worth visiting. There are many curious natural wonders to be seen -there. Moreover, we shall be able to visit other countries on our way.' - -That night, as the two chums were retiring to rest, Gerald said, with a -shiver, 'Do you know, Jack, I would give a good deal if we could get out -of this trip. I've got a feeling--a sort of presentiment'---- - -'Nerves again!' murmured Jack sleepily. 'We shall be all right! We go -as the king's guests or ambassadors, or whatever it is; and not even the -Ogre will dare to harm us. Ivanta has a long arm, it strikes me.' - -'Maybe he has, and maybe it will, as you say, be all right,' was -Gerald's reply. 'All the same, something tells me we're in for trouble -in some way or another.' - - - - - *CHAPTER XVIII.* - - *A ROYAL PROGRESS.* - - -'There are the famous canals--the great waterways which the astronomers -of the Earth have seen through their telescopes and puzzled over for so -many years. The curious thing is that the scientists of Mars have -puzzled over them almost as much, and can tell you practically just as -little about them.' - -Thus spoke Monck, as the _Lokris_ sailed through the upper air on her -way to the country of King Agrando. - -Below them the voyagers saw seas and continents spread out as upon an -enormous map. And there, quite plain to the eye, were the strange -channels Monck had referred to. They looked like great arms of the sea; -but there was that in their regular shape which proclaimed, even to the -unscientific eye, that they must have been constructed artificially. - -'Their origin is lost in the mists of past ages,' Monck explained. -'Some mighty race in the past must have made them at a time when to be -able to travel by water was all-important.' - -Jack, who was looking through a powerful telescope, exclaimed in -surprise, 'I can see vessels going about on them! The curious thing is -that in one channel they are all going one way, and in the other channel -they are all moving along in the opposite direction.' - -'Exactly!' Monck replied. 'And that, you perceive, seems to suggest a -reason for their construction. There are strong currents running -through them just as you see the vessels going--that is to say, in -opposite directions. It is supposed that the ancients, in the days -before mechanical propulsion was invented, saw in that fact an easy way -of getting about. At any rate, that is the general supposition -nowadays. Of course, it is only a guess.' - -The _Lokris_ had been at this time two days and nights on her journey. -She was accompanied by several airships, forming, in effect, a small -squadron. 'Escorted' would be perhaps a more fitting term, for several -of them were war-vessels, while others again were craft in attendance, -carrying supplies. - -The progress of the whole fleet was methodical, and was conducted with a -good deal of ceremony. It was all ordered very much as would be the case -with the fleet of one of the Great Powers on Earth escorting the yacht -carrying the son of a powerful monarch on a visit or tour to a distant -realm. One of the war-vessels carried the Diamond King and his party; -while Armeath and his wards travelled with Prince Alondra in his yacht. - -As they continued their journey they passed over various cities and -countries. Sometimes strange war-vessels, seeing from a distance that a -small fleet was approaching, came soaring up to inquire who and what -they were. Continually, all day long, other craft, of every size and -kind, passed them. Some were great liners, carrying passengers, going -swiftly to and fro like our greyhounds of the Atlantic; some were -private yachts; and others again war-craft, alone, or in twos and -threes. All, as they went by, ran up signals; and when they learnt from -the answering signals who the illustrious travellers were, saluted in -token of respect. - -Their progress was leisurely, and there were many halts. There were -certain places where their coming was expected, and preparations had -been made to give them a brilliant reception. Airships, splendidly -decorated, came up to welcome them, and beg them to descend to receive -addresses. - -Then it was that the strangers saw how much diversity it was possible to -introduce into the decoration of the various air-craft, and how their -outward appearance could be varied and altered according to the taste -and ingenuity of the owners. Every kind of bird was imitated upon a -large scale. There were gigantic swans, eagles, swallows, and other -birds such as are familiar to us upon Earth, and a number of strange -bird-forms which exist only on Mars. There were grotesque creatures, -too, representations of beasts and fish, and uncanny-looking monsters, -some of the latter resembling what we know as dragons, griffins, -wyverns, and so on. - -At night there would be fetes, when all these creatures were lighted up -in curious and ingenious fashion, revealing to the astonished and -delighted travellers most weird and marvellous effects, as they -performed intricate evolutions and manoeuvres in the air in the dark. -Then there were fireworks such as have probably never been dreamed of by -even our most skilful pyrotechnists. Illuminated airships soared up into -the heavens and formed brilliant constellations of huge coloured stars, -or rained down showers of fire, like colossal, inverted, fiery -fountains. Chariots of fire sailed to and fro and engaged in races, -contests, or in sham-fights upon a grand scale. Fiery monsters, which -left long, shining trails of light behind them like the tails of comets, -darted to and fro with a roar which startled those who heard it for the -first time. Luminous clouds--red, yellow, blue, or green--formed -mysteriously, and aeronauts played hide-and-seek amongst them with their -lighted cars, vanishing suddenly into them and reappearing quite -unexpectedly in a different place. - -Such were some--only a few--of the spectacles with which the travellers -from our Earth were entertained by the hospitable inhabitants of the -countries over which they passed in the course of their journey to -Sedenia. It would require too much space to describe all the marvellous -sights they gazed upon, the novelties they met with, the quaint -costumes, manners, and customs of the various nations they encountered, -or the numerous zoological curiosities which were brought under their -notice. Weeks were occupied in this manner, and it may safely be said -that each day brought some fresh surprise, something which was new, -unexpected, or curiously interesting to the visitors. - -Altogether, the two chums and their guardian had a memorable -journey--one to be remembered with delight and wonder for the rest of -their lives, one which was in every sense a truly royal progress. Not -the least interesting part of it consisted in the frank curiosity -displayed by the inhabitants in themselves as natives of another world. -Many showed great surprise at finding that they were just human beings, -very much the same as the Martians were, neither more nor less. - -'I suppose,' remarked Gerald, 'they expected that we should turn out to -be monsters like those which that philosopher of theirs, whose book I -was reading on the way here, declared us to be: "ape-like creatures, -with blue skins covered with green hair."' - -But whatever the expectations of the Martians had been, they soon -demonstrated that they were well pleased with the reality, for they -overwhelmed the visitors with the most lavish hospitality, and accorded -them places of great honour at every public function. - -One note there was, however, not exactly of discord, but a jarring -note--an undercurrent--of disappointment and dissatisfaction, -nevertheless. In every place at which they arrived, one of the first -questions addressed to Monck was: 'Have you brought the diamonds?' or -'When are the diamonds to be offered for sale?' These, or some similar -inquiries concerning the great shipload of gems which it was now known -throughout the Martian world had been brought by King Ivanta from the -'evening star,' met them at every halting-place. - -It was evident that the answer which Monck, as the king's messenger, was -compelled to make to these queries, caused considerable surprise and -disappointment. In certain extreme cases they even threw a certain air -of restraint into the exhibitions of public rejoicings. - -'What has been done with the diamonds, Mr Monck?' asked Jack one day. -'What is going to be done with them? If they were brought here to be -offered for sale to those who could afford to buy them, why are they -kept back?' - -'At present they are under lock and key--that is to say, they are -deposited in the strong room of the treasury in the city of Ivenia.' - -'When are they going to be brought out again?' - -'That is more than I can say, young sir. It is at present a secret -known only to my royal master.' - -'It's no business of mine, sir,' Jack went on modestly, 'and perhaps you -will think I have no right to say anything; but I can't help seeing that -keeping them locked up is causing a great deal of ill-feeling. I know -that Mr Armeath thinks--and I feel sure that he is right--that it is a -pity they were ever brought here at all. But since they have been -brought, it does seem a bit funny that so much time should be allowed to -go by without any one being allowed even to see them.' - -'It is the king's will, and that is all I can tell you. I may just hint -to you privately, however, that I have an idea--it is only my own guess, -mind you--that the king wishes to defer taking any decided step till -after his return from his visit to Kondris--that is, to the planet you -know as Saturn.' - -Jack whistled. 'Oh, oh!' he cried, nodding his head shrewdly. 'I see! -Then he is really bent on making that trip?' - -'Undoubtedly. At least, I believe he is now completing the necessary -preparations.' - -'Mr Zuanstroom--he won't like that, will he?' - -'He will have to wait the king's pleasure.' - -'I suppose he will; but he won't like it. And you will find he will -begin to kick if something isn't done soon. I have heard hints to that -effect. Silas let it out in an indiscreet moment.' - -'My royal master has a way of doing what he chooses without regard to -the opinions of private individuals,' was Monck's answer; and it was -given in a tone which effectually closed the conversation. - - - - - *CHAPTER XIX.* - - *A DARING PLOT.* - - -In due course the travellers reached the country of Sedenia. They were -met upon--or rather over--its borders by the ruler of the realm, King -Agrando. He was accompanied by his chief councillor, Kazzaro--otherwise -the Ogre--Gorondo his chief General, and his principal officers of -State. He also had with him a number of war-airships of various sizes. - -Under his conduct the travellers passed on to his capital, the city of -Dyrania, a rambling town of considerable size, built upon the slopes of -a high mountain and overlooking a large lake. - -The visitors left their airships, and took up their abode for the time -being in suites of apartments assigned to them for their use in the -royal palace. - -Here King Agrando dispensed his hospitality with a sort of semi-barbaric -dignity. To Gerald, in particular, as may be imagined, it seemed a -curious thing to find himself attending his Court as a guest. It cannot -be said that it was a pleasant experience, and he entered into it with -very mixed feelings. - -So far as the outward conduct of his host went, however, he had nothing -to complain of. He had come there with Prince Alondra and Monck, King -Ivanta's special representative; and he, Mr Armeath, and Jack, were -treated upon that footing with the strictest regard to everything that -courtesy and etiquette required. At the same time, try as he would, he -could not feel exactly comfortable. Every time he attended any -function, and saw before him King Agrando and his chief officers, there -came back to him the memory of that time when he had been brought before -those same men as a helpless prisoner, and treated with contumely and -insult. His cheeks would flush, and the hot blood rush through his -veins even now, as he recalled how Kazzaro had prodded and pommelled him -as a farmer might a bullock offered for sale, and remembered the -sinister and forbidding aspect of the whole crowd as they gazed upon -him. - -Still, so far as they were concerned, all this might have been a mere -dream. Nothing in their behaviour showed that they even recollected it. -The king, indeed, in a certain fashion of his own, seemed to wish to -convey to Gerald that he desired the whole 'regrettable incident' to be -forgotten. - -As King Agrando plays an important part in this history, some further -particulars concerning him may be given here. - -His had been one of the last countries to be brought under the sway of -the all-powerful, all-conquering Ivanta. He now occupied a -semi-independent position, one somewhat similar to that of some of the -richest and most powerful of the native princes of India. In his time -he had himself been a great fighter and conqueror, having invaded and -conquered several adjoining countries. He had ruled over these--and over -his own subjects also--with an iron hand; and at times, it was said, -with tyrannical cruelty. There had been, indeed, dark rumours afloat of -terrible deeds carried out by him with the aid of the band of -councillors he kept about him, of whom Kazzaro was the chief. If these -tales were anywhere near the truth, then the title of Ogre, which the -chums had bestowed upon Kazzaro, might have been quite as suitably given -to his master. - -But those days were past--or supposed to be past. Agrando was now on -his best behaviour. Ivanta had insisted that there should be no more -fighting or quarrelling with his neighbours, and no more cruelty and -oppression within his realm. Thus the tyrant's 'occupation was gone,' -and he had little left to him to do save to occupy himself and his -select circle with such more or less harmless amusements as the -circumstances permitted. - -For one thing, he had become a great collector of curios of all kinds, -animate and inanimate. That is to say, he had got together the finest -collection of curios and zoological and botanical specimens of any upon -the planet. Some of these had been contributed by Ivanta--brought by -him from distant planets, Earth and Saturn--who possibly thought it good -policy to encourage his restless vassal in so blameless a hobby. Thus -the gardens surrounding the palace formed a sort of glorified Zoo and -Kew Gardens rolled into one. His palace, too, was filled to overflowing -with the most remarkable works of art that money could buy and the -countries of his globe could produce. The fame of his collections had -spread throughout the world of Mars, and people travelled immense -distances and made long pilgrimages to see them. - -It is scarcely a matter for surprise that such a man should now be -bitten with a craze for diamonds, with a burning, overmastering -desire--which later on became a determination--to become the possessor -of the finest collection of jewels upon his planet. - -Now, it so happened that while Agrando's desires in this direction had -been growing and growing until they had almost reached the length of -becoming a sort of madness, Ivanta's thoughts had been working in an -exactly opposite direction. By degrees he had come to wish he had never -troubled himself about precious stones at all. Certainly, what he had -done had been planned with the best intentions; but his sagacious -instinct now began to lean to the idea that for once in his life he had -made a great mistake. Therefore, he was casting about for some plausible -excuse for undoing what he had travelled all the way to Earth specially -to accomplish. - -Already, during the voyage home to Mars, he had noted many incidents -which his keen insight into human nature had told him were the little -seeds likely to grow into a big crop of future trouble. He had seen, -with sorrow and alarm, that even his most trusted councillors and -dearest friends were beginning to give their chief thought and attention -to 'dividing up' the cargo of diamonds they were carrying back. Already -envy, covetousness, and greed were raising their ugly heads where before -all had been amiability and goodwill. And if this were so even before -the distribution took place, what was likely to be the state of things -afterwards? - -This alteration in his views had been greatly strengthened by his -conversations with Armeath. That honest sage, also deeply experienced in -human nature, fearlessly expressed his own opinions on the subject. He -gave Ivanta endless illustrations and 'modern instances' of the crimes -and misery which a covetous greed for precious stones might be expected -to introduce into his world. - -Ivanta--convinced, yet, as an honourable man, hampered by his own -promises and undertakings--gladly jumped at Armeath's suggestion of -making artificial stones in such quantities as to render them as 'common -as pieces of glass.' Then, as Armeath had argued in his talk with -Monck, nobody would bother himself to be the possessor of any of the -'gems,' whether real or artificial. For none could tell the former from -the latter when manufactured by Armeath's process. - -The great difficulty now seemed to be to get a sufficient quantity of -the necessary mineral; and to do this Ivanta would have to pay a visit -to Saturn, that being the only place he knew of where it could be -obtained. - -Meantime, Ivanta had decided to keep the cargo he had brought locked up; -and to postpone its distribution until his return from his projected -journey. - -Unfortunately, however, the mischief had already been done; the seeds of -serious trouble had been sown, and were now growing to a far larger -extent than King Ivanta knew of. - -King Agrando, in particular, was hatching a double plot, which, if it -succeeded, was not only to gratify his newly-born craze for a big -collection of jewels, but to restore him to his former position of -independent ruler. Even, perhaps--who could tell?--it might raise him -to the position now occupied by Ivanta himself! - -Into this conspiracy Zuanstroom had entered. That, at first sight, may -appear a little strange; but the so-called Diamond King had newly -awakened ambitions of his own. He saw that, as the owner of this great -cargo of precious stones, he was in a position which was absolutely -unique in the world of Mars. Upon Earth he had only been the Diamond -King in a relative sense; here he was actually entitled to that name. -But why should he stop there? Why should he not use his unique position -to make himself a king in actual fact? Upon Earth, even with the help -of all his diamonds, he could never aspire to such a height; but here it -was different. Ivanta, he knew, would never fall in with such an idea; -but Agrando, if approached in the right way, might--and he did. - -The result of the conferences between the two plotters may be summed up -thus: Agrando had said, 'Let us use your diamonds to depose Ivanta and -put me in his shoes, and give me the biggest share of the treasure; and -I will then put you into a position similar to that I now myself occupy. -You shall be king over a large tract of country, subject only to me as -your overlord.' - -And Zuanstroom's ambition and unscrupulous nature had determined him to -seal the compact and risk the consequences. - -The visitors to Agrando found plenty to amuse and interest them during -their stay. The palace gardens alone were a never-ending source of -wonder and delight to the two chums. Rumour had not exaggerated when it -had spread reports of the marvels to be seen there. The friends spent a -good deal of their time exploring and investigating--for the gardens -were of very great extent--and every day they came upon something fresh. - -At the beginning, Monck had given them this curious warning: 'Kazzaro -has asked me to put you on your guard,' said he. 'King Agrando -remembers the dangers which you, Gerald, so narrowly escaped during our -journey in the _Ivenia_; and he does not wish that a similar unhappy -occurrence should cast a reflection upon any of his people here. So he -has instructed Kazzaro to remind me that there are many specimens and -scientific curiosities in the gardens which may be dangerous to -strangers unacquainted with their characteristics--not merely among the -animals, and reptiles, and so on, he says, but even amongst the trees -and plants. For King Agrando has devoted an immense amount of money and -trouble to collecting and cultivating specimens of most out-of-the-way -kinds, some of them with qualities never known or heard of before. -Apart from this consideration, you have the king's permission to go -about freely wherever you choose!' - -Later on, Gerald asked Jack his private opinion of this warning. 'What -does it mean?' he asked doubtfully. 'Is it genuine, do you think, or -does it conceal some crafty trick?' - -'Sounds straightforward enough!' Jack declared. 'Where can the trick -come in?' - -'I don't know,' Gerald mused. 'I have no right, perhaps, to suspect any -trickery; yet, somehow, I don't trust the Ogre!' - -'No more do I, for that matter! We'll keep our eyes open!' said Jack. - -A few days later, Alondra, wandering alone in the gardens, one morning, -came upon an immense round glass-house, the door of which, he noticed, -was standing open for the first time. He had paused at the place two or -three times before; but the door had always been shut and locked. -Moreover, there was a label upon it, which read: 'Private. Contents -Dangerous.' - -Naturally, such a placard had aroused his curiosity, and he had made -attempts to see what was inside; but everywhere the glass was screened -off within, and he could discover nothing. Here, this morning, was an -opportunity to see for himself what the mysterious 'contents' were. He -had his trident with him--he had carried it every day in consequence of -the warning that had been given--so what had he to fear? - -He passed through the open door, and came to a second door at one side. -Opening this, he made his way amongst a lot of thick shrubs, and came -out in an open space paved with white marble. In the centre was a large -marble pool, with steps leading down into it. In the pool a fountain -was playing; the whole looking very cool and inviting. It had the -appearance of a plunge-bath; and seemed to tempt the stranger to take a -dive into its bubbling waters. - -Alondra looked round. Nothing was to be seen on any side but flowering -shrubs, the scent of which filled the air. But the most beautiful -blooms of all, he noticed, were some large white lilies growing amongst -clusters of immense leaves in the pool. - -Surprised and fascinated at the extreme beauty of these blooms, the like -of which he had never seen before, he walked down the steps as far as -the edge of the water, and put his hand amongst the green leaves to -pluck a flower. Immediately the leaf curled over upon his hand, and to -his astonishment and dismay he found he could not withdraw it! Not only -that, but the leaf was exercising a distinct pulling power; it was -steadily dragging him towards the water! Then he put the other hand -down to try to free the first one, when another leaf curled round it, -and he found himself held as though his hands had been tied together -with a strong rope. He struggled hard, but he could not cast off that -deadly grip; and, little by little, the horrible leaves dragged him -forward until he was forced into the pool. Other leaves then began to -curl round his body, and forced him down, down, step by step, until the -water encircled his neck! - - - - - *CHAPTER XX.* - - *THE DEATH POOL.* - - -It was well for Alondra that Gerald and Jack happened to be walking in -the gardens that particular morning. They had, in fact, strolled out to -look for him, and Providence must have led them into the neighbourhood -of the large glass-house just at the critical moment. They also -noticed--as he had done--that the outer door was standing open; and they -were reading the warning notice with great curiosity, and considering -whether, in despite of it, they should venture on a peep inside, when a -terrible cry rang out from within, a cry as of some one in urgent need -of help. - -'It's Alondra's voice!' exclaimed Gerald. 'He's inside there, and must -be in some trouble! Come on, Jack!' - -The two pushed open the inner door and rushed along the pathway amongst -the shrubs. - -A moment later they came in sight of the pool with the fountain playing -in the middle; and there they saw Alondra--or, rather, his head, for -that was all there was above the water--with a look of terrible, deadly -horror upon his face. - -'Help me quickly!' he gasped. 'Some awful thing is clinging round me -and is dragging me down! Your knives! Get out your knives! But be -careful, or you may get drawn in yourselves--both of you!' - -The two friends acted upon the hints thus given; and, drawing their -knives and joining hands, Gerald went boldly down the steps and seized -hold of the young prince just as he was being drawn completely under the -water. - -The task of setting him free, however, proved a tougher one than they -had expected. The clinging leaves, as though directed by some dreadful, -sinister intelligence, closed upon Gerald's extended arm, and, -exercising a strength and tenacity which had about it something almost -superhuman, endeavoured to drag him in too. - -A terrible struggle for dear life ensued between the three, on the one -side, and the horrible, silent power which they had to fight against, on -the other. - -Gerald managed to free one of Alondra's arms, and gave him his own -knife, taking Jack's in place of it. The two then hacked and slashed at -the slimy, slippery, but wonderfully tough leaves. As fast as they cut -themselves free from some, others laid hold of them; and it seemed at -one time as though all three would be dragged bodily into the water. - -Just then Jack caught sight of a coil of strong rope lying upon the -floor in a corner, and he made a dart and possessed himself of it. In a -trice he had passed one end to Gerald, and secured the other round one -of the columns supporting the roof. - -Gerald, in his turn, managed to slip the end round Alondra and pass it -back to Jack, who caught hold of it, and, standing himself on the steps -out of reach, hauled with all his might. This enabled the two who were -struggling in the water--for by this time Gerald had also been drawn -in--to use both hands. Little by little, step by step, they struggled -backwards, until at last they reached the water's edge and were free. - -Panting and exhausted, the three sat down on a low marble balustrade, -and looked first at the pool, then at one another. Then they stared -once more at the treacherous pool, where all now was silent and still, -save for the bubbling and splashing of the water as it fell from the -fountain. - -'Jupiter!' cried Jack at last. 'Of all the awful death-traps I ever saw -or heard of, commend me to this! A horrible death pool! But what in -the name of all that is fiendish is that awful plant?' - -'It's some kind of cannibal plant, I suppose,' said Gerald. - -'Yes, that is right,' Alondra agreed. 'I have heard there are such -plants on our globe in some remote corners, but I have never seen one -before.' - -'What does anybody want to keep such a monstrous, uncanny affair for?' -queried Jack indignantly. - -'I never heard that they grew to such a size,' Alondra added. 'This -must have been growing here many years to become so large, I should -say.' - -'A nice sort of pet to cultivate and pamper!' Jack grumbled. 'What do -they feed it on, I wonder? Such a thing ought not to be allowed! It's a -public danger!' - -'There's a warning on the door,' Gerald reminded him. 'After all, it's -our own fault, I 'm afraid people will say, for coming here.' - -'My fault, you mean--for I was the one who yielded first to curiosity, -and so drew you here,' Alondra confessed. - -'Oh, we should have come in on our own, you may be pretty sure of that,' -Jack declared. 'We were just discussing the point when we heard you -call out.' - -'It's a very beautiful flower,' Gerald observed, looking attentively at -the large, handsome blossoms, 'and the scent is delicious. Who would -imagine that anything so lovely to look at could be so treacherous--so -deadly?' - -He walked cautiously up near to it to get a clear view, and Jack -followed him--partly, as it seemed, to satisfy his own curiosity, and -partly to see that his chum did not become too venturesome and get -unwittingly caught again. - -Meantime, Alondra was evidently thinking deeply. He began to look and -search about, first in this direction, then in that. Presently the -others noticed his proceedings, and, leaving the side of the pool, went -across and asked him what he was doing. - -'Before I tell you,' was the reply, 'you must promise that you will say -nothing to any one else. If what I am thinking of was mere fancy, I -don't wish to be laughed at; and if it turns out that it was not -fancy--well, then I still wish that nothing should be said about it just -now. Do you understand?' - -The two friends readily gave the required promise. 'Well, then, what is -troubling me is this: Just as I called out--when I was struggling up to -my neck in the water--when, as it seemed to me, I was at my last gasp, -and all hope had gone--I saw, or imagined I saw, some one peering at me -from among those thick bushes!' - -'My stars! That sounds funny!' was Jack's comment. 'D'you mean to say -that there was some one in here, some one so cold-blooded as to stand by -and look on at you, and never offer to help?' - -'That is my--er--impression; but'---- - -'Who was it, then? Anybody you know?' - -Alondra hesitated. Then he said slowly, 'I cannot say. I could hardly -see more than the eyes, if I saw any one. But, understand me, I cannot -declare positively that I saw any one at all. I was in such a state of -horror that I may have imagined it. I was ready to imagine anything.' - -Jack looked at him attentively. - -'I don't think you are one to lose your wits to that extent, my friend,' -he declared, shaking his head, 'though I admit it would be no discredit -to you if you did. I can't imagine a more frightful predicament, or one -better calculated to try the nerves of the bravest man.' - -'Let's all set to work and have a good hunt round,' suggested Gerald. -'If any one was here, he must be somewhere in hiding now, unless there -is another way out. If there is, let's find it!' - -They searched the place in all directions, but for some time could find -nothing to reward their trouble. They could see no trace of any person -other than themselves having been there. - -They were about to give it up and go away, when Jack suddenly uttered a -cry. 'See! What is that on the floor!' he exclaimed. 'Ah, I thought -so! A diamond--a small diamond!' He exhibited upon the open palm of -his hand a little sparkling stone. While his companions were busy -looking at it, he went on to examine attentively a number of slabs of -carved marble which stood up from the floor some four or five feet, -forming a many-sided enclosure. They made a ring, as it were, fifteen -feet in diameter or thereabouts, and upon each slab were figures or -scenes carved in bas-relief. - -It was not unlike a huge, many-sided flower-pot; and it appeared to be -intended for a similar purpose; for the space it enclosed was filled -with mould up to the level of the top of the slabs, and this again was -thickly planted with large shrubs. - -Jack walked all round this affair, peering keenly into the dense leafy -screen. It was so thick that nothing could be seen of what was in the -middle. Then he returned to the starting-point--that opposite to the -place where he had picked up the diamond. He caught hold of the -branches and pulled them apart. Then he uttered a low whistle. 'Come -and look at this!' he cried. - -The other two ran up to the place and peered in. There, upon the loose -mould, could be seen a footprint, and a little beyond it another. - -Jack pointed to one of the bas-relief figures on the slab. It was in a -kneeling position, and the head formed a convenient step to any one -wishing to mount to the top of the slab. 'Do you see?' he cried. 'This -has been used as a step! You place a foot on it--thus, take hold of -these branches--so, pull them apart--so, and you can spring up and -through quite easily. Then the branches close up after you and hide all -trace. But the last one who passed this way was in a great hurry. He -was in such haste to get through that he snapped off a twig--here it -is--and another twig caught against his breast, and tore off a little -diamond, and cast it on to the floor where I found it.' - -While talking, Jack had suited actions to words, and shown, by practical -illustration, how easily what he had suggested might happen. - -'Where, then, is that person now, do you suppose?' asked Gerald, in a -low tone. 'Hiding in the middle of those bushes?' - -Jack shook his head. 'I should say not,' he replied. 'I should say -there must be a secret passage leading to this curious place, and that -those bushes conceal the entrance to it. However, that's a question -we'll soon put to the test. I 'm going in to see what's in the middle. -You fellows come after me!' - - - - - *CHAPTER XXI.* - - *A SECRET TREASURE-HOUSE.* - - -Jack's theory proved to be well founded. In the middle of the clump of -bushes they discovered a portion of an old tree-trunk. It was about -three feet high by, perhaps, four feet in diameter. A glance over the -side showed that it was hollow, and that inside it there were some steps -leading downwards. - -Jack pointed to them in quiet triumph. 'Are you going to explore -farther?' he asked Alondra, in a low tone scarcely above a whisper. -'Because, if you are, I should suggest that we go very quietly.' - -'Yes; I 'm going to find out what it all means,' said Alondra firmly. - -'What about arms?' queried Jack dubiously. - -'I have my trident, or I had,' Alondra answered. 'I must have left it -somewhere about on the floor.' - -Jack went back to look for it, and Alondra followed; but it was nowhere -to be seen. - -'It has disappeared!' exclaimed Alondra, bewildered. 'What can have -become of it? I remember putting it down when I went, towards the pool -to pick one of those terrible flowers. Are you sure you have not picked -it up, either of you?' - -'What should we do with it--put it in one of our pockets?' laughed Jack. -'No; this is one more proof that what you saw was reality and not a -vision of your fanciful brain. Some one was here--some one who coolly -looked on while you were struggling for your life in the grasp of the -dreadful floral monster beside yonder pretty-looking fountain. Some one -who wears diamonds on his breast, and was in too great a hurry to notice -that the bushes had scratched one off in passing. Some one, finally, -who has walked off with your trident.' - -'True. But why did he take that?' - -'It seems to me that the reason is not difficult to guess at. It tells -a little tale to me by itself. He considered that you were as good as -dead, and would have no further use for your trident. So, as it is a -very beautifully ornamented one, he thought he might as well have it.' - -'I 'm afraid you must be right!' Alondra rejoined, with a slight shiver. -'Yet, I don't understand it! However, let us see what we can find out. -As to arms, who would dare to lay a hand openly on me?' - -As Alondra asked this last question he drew himself up proudly, and his -eyes flashed. - -'It's not for me to say,' Jack remarked, with a philosophical air. -'Gerald and I have our own arms--what we call revolvers when we are at -home. They're not like yours, though. They hurt if they are used -properly, as you know.' - -The two went back to where they had left Gerald, and a little later they -were all three creeping noiselessly down the steps inside the hollow -tree-trunk. At the bottom they found themselves in another passage, -which they calculated must run under the floor of the glass-house, and -then under the garden. It was in darkness, save for a little glimmer -which came down the steps they had descended. - -'Now, I wonder where this goes to?' muttered Jack. 'It doesn't seem to -me to lead to the palace. I fancy it runs in the opposite direction.' - -Alondra produced from his pocket a little electric lamp, and by its aid -they followed the passage for some distance. Then they came to more -steps, which went much farther down into the ground. They also came to -other side-passages, which branched off in different directions. Soon -the passage became wider and higher, and finally ended in a heavily -barred door, which, however, was standing ajar. - -They listened cautiously, and, hearing no one about, pushed it open, and -suddenly found themselves in a blaze of light. Yet it was certain that -they were not in the open air. - -They stared around, and then up, in wondering astonishment. They seemed -to be in another glass-house, for certainly there was some kind of -transparent or semi-transparent roof overhead. But the light was not the -light of the sky exactly. It was a strange reflected light, such as -puzzled the three who gazed at it. - -Then an idea flashed into Jack's mind. 'I know what it is!' he -whispered. 'We are looking up through water! This place is built -underneath the large lake in the gardens.' - -'Yes, you are right. It must be so,' Alondra agreed. 'But why? This -must be some place constructed in this strange fashion on purpose that -its very existence should be kept a secret! Now, why is that, I wonder? -I do not believe that my father even knows of its existence. But why -all this secrecy? There seems to be no one about. Let us try to find -out what it all means.' - -One thing they found it undoubtedly was--a treasure-house. They quickly -saw enough to convince them that Agrando had a great store of treasure -here. But there were also roomy chambers, and a spacious central place, -with a great dome as large as a good-sized theatre, and not unlike one, -having banks of seats around, one behind the other, arranged like -semicircular steps. The use of this building seemed very doubtful, as -did that of some small, dark side-chambers--mere cells--of which there -were quite a number about. - -While the explorers were wondering what it all meant, they heard the -sound of voices. Jack pointed to one of the small cells high up in the -wall, and led the way up the banks of seats, stepping from one to the -other like going upstairs. - -The cell had a strong door, the upper part of which consisted of a -grille, and when they were well inside they pulled it to after them. -Then, peering through the grille, they could see nearly all over the -interior. The voices drew nearer, and in a few moments there entered -King Agrando, Kazzaro, and Zuanstroom, with two attendants, each of whom -bore small sacks. Judging by their manner, the sacks were pretty heavy. - -'That will do. Put them down there!' ordered Agrando. 'We can examine -them better here than in the other chambers. This has the best light of -any.' The centre was occupied by a circular platform or staging of -stonework, the use or meaning of which the three hidden spectators had -not been able to guess at. Upon this the attendants deposited their -bags, and immediately withdrew. - -When assured that their servitors were out of sight and hearing, -Zuanstroom opened the bags, and turned out from one a sparkling -collection of jewellery of all kinds and designs, and from the other a -dazzling heap of unset stones, some of them of great size and -brilliancy. - -It was curious to see the expressions of greed and avarice which crept -into the features of the king and his favourite as they gazed upon this -display. - -'There!' cried Zuanstroom triumphantly, 'have I not kept my word? Have -I not done as I promised? You doubted whether I could perform what I -said; but you see I've managed it, spite of all Ivanta's edicts and -precautions! He little dreams that all these are now in your hands, -instead of reposing peacefully in his own treasure-house until it suits -his royal fancy to allow me to deal as I please with my own. Ah, he is -a clever man, in many ways--a wonderful man; but he does not know -everything! He has yet to learn the real power that lies in diamonds. I -learned it long ago! There is nothing too difficult to attain, no -living being you cannot bribe, if you have only diamonds enough!' - -Jack had put a hand on Alondra as a hint to keep his feelings under -control. And it was well he had done so, for he felt him start, and -could tell that he was battling with his rising indignation as he -listened to this talk. Jack, however, had quickly decided in his own -mind that it would be better to keep their presence there a secret if -possible, and the pressure of his hand upon the young prince said so -plainly. Alondra, on his side, was forced to admit to himself that Jack -was right as to this; though he did so all unwillingly. - -There ensued a good deal of talk between Agrando and the other two, the -while that they turned the scintillating heaps over and over, but it was -carried on for the most part in such low tones that the listeners heard -but little of what was said. Now and then they heard exclamations, or -caught scraps of sentences, but these did not convey much information. - -At last the conspirators put the two heaps back into their respective -receptacles, which they themselves then carried into another chamber. -Presumably, they there locked them up in some vault, and went their way; -and all once more became quiet. - -'Now's our time!' said Jack. 'If you take my advice, Prince, we shall -slip back the way we came, and get out--if we're lucky enough to meet no -one--through the glass-house where we found you. I should keep what you -have learned to yourself till you are safely back home, and then tell -your royal father, who will know what to do better than you or I, or Mr -Monck.' - -'I think you are right,' said Alondra musingly, 'although'---- - -'I am sure Jack is right,' Gerald put in. 'Those men, now that the fire -of covetousness has been lighted in their breasts, would stick at -nothing. They would murder you, and me, and all your suite, as soon as -look at us, rather than give up their booty, or rather than risk our -telling King Ivanta. So we'd better be discreet and keep still tongues -in our heads.' - -They left their hiding-place and made their way down the rows of seats. -When, however, they reached the floor, Alondra looked round and -whispered, 'I should like very much to know what this place is used for. -It must have been constructed for some distinct purpose, and whatever -the purpose it was a secret one. I see many things about, the uses of -which I confess I do not understand, and yet I cannot help guessing; but -I hope I am not right in my guesses, for they make me shudder.' - -'I think I know what is in your mind,' returned Jack gloomily. 'I fancy -the same thoughts came into mine; but I deemed it better not to say -anything about them at present.' - -As he spoke they distinctly heard a door opened and the sound of voices. -There was nothing for it but to regain their former place of -concealment. They had hardly entered it and closed the door, when a -number of people came bursting into the place, looking about them as -though in search of some one. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXII.* - - *MALTO.* - - -In the shade of the cell in which they had concealed themselves, the -three friends talked in whispers, while watching, through the grille, -the doings of the new-comers. - -Who were these people, and whom were they searching for? At first the -watchers took it for granted that they were themselves the objects of -their search; but a few moments later they had doubts as to whether it -was so. If it was, Alondra was ready to 'take the bull by the horns' -and show himself, quite believing that they would not dare to harm King -Ivanta's son. Jack, however, was for waiting a while to see what -happened. - -'You can do that at any time--when it is forced upon us,' he whispered. -'They may not be looking for us at all; and we may learn something if we -keep quiet.' - -The reasoning seemed good, and Alondra agreed, though somewhat -unwillingly. He was angry and indignant at what had already occurred, -and was becoming impatient at being compelled to play hide-and-seek in -what he considered was an undignified fashion. - -At the same time, he was curious, and, for one thing, was wondering who -these people could be who were hunting about. He had never seen them -before. Not only were they strangers to him, but their dress was quite -different from that usually worn by Agrando's followers. Their costumes -were a very dark purple, and they were all big, powerful-looking men. -Moreover, when they called out to one another they spoke in a strange -language, one that even Alondra did not understand. - -And now a fresh development occurred. Into the midst of these strangers -strode three men in masks--men even bigger and taller than the rest. -They seemed to speak angrily, as though rating the others for something -they had done wrongly. Then they issued some sharp, short word of -command, and the first-comers turned and marched out in perfect military -order, the masked men walking behind them. - -In a minute or two they had all disappeared. Sounds followed as of the -closing and fastening of heavy doors, and the place was once more empty -and quiet. - -'What does it all mean?' exclaimed Gerald perplexedly, addressing -Alondra. 'What are all these strange comings and goings? Who were -those chaps who came in last, and why do they wear masks? It is all -very mysterious and extraordinary! It seems to me there must be a good -deal more going on here than you have any idea of!' - -'It seems so, indeed,' Alondra replied, in a tone which showed that he -was not less puzzled. 'I confess it is a mystery to me at present. But -I mean to get to the bottom of it if the thing is possible.' - -'What do you think King Ivanta will say to it all when you tell him?' -asked Jack. 'What do you suppose he will do? You will tell him, will -you not?' - -'You may be sure I shall,' returned Alondra, 'and I think the sooner he -knows the better. We must find some excuse for cutting short our visit -here and getting back to Ivenia as quickly as possible,' he added with -decision. - -'If you will take me with you to King Ivanta,' said a strange voice -behind them, 'I can tell him many more things which he ought to -know--which he ought to have known long ago!' - -The three friends started and looked round. From somewhere in the -darkness, at the back of the cell, a figure now stepped forth, and stood -looking at them with as much interest as they showed themselves. - -He was a young fellow of scarcely more than twenty years of age perhaps, -good-looking, well set up, and muscular in build. He was dressed like -an official of Agrando's household; but Alondra detected at once that he -was not a native of the country. - -'Who are you?' he asked, eying him curiously. 'And why have you been -hiding and listening to our talk?' - -'Who I am doesn't matter just now,' returned the stranger quietly. 'You -need not be afraid of me; you may trust me thoroughly. I am a friend, -and you need a friend just now if you want to get out of this place -without being captured by Kazzaro's myrmidons!' - -'I am not afraid of them! You do not know who I am!' returned Alondra -proudly. - -'It does not matter to me who you are, any more than it matters to you -who I am,' was the cool answer. 'You would need to be some one very -wonderful, or very clever, to get out of this place alive if Kazzaro -knew you were here. If I help you to escape, will you promise to take -me to King Ivanta? He will thank you for doing so when he hears what I -have to tell him, and I have little doubt will reward you handsomely.' - -At this the three looked at each other and burst out laughing. Jack was -about to tell the stranger that he was talking to the son of Ivanta, -when a look from Alondra stopped him. - -'I suppose you expect to be rewarded too,' said the young prince -shrewdly. 'Well, I promise to take you to him; but if we do, and he -gives you the reward you expect, it is only fair that we should share -it.' - -'That you cannot do,' answered the stranger with a sigh. 'I know not -whether he will be able to give me what I am hoping for; but if he -should it is not anything that I can share, or that you would care to -have.' - -'You are very mysterious, my friend!' Alondra commented. 'Why are you -hiding in here?' - -'Well, I came here upon a little errand of my own--one somewhat similar -to that which brought you, I fancy, judging by what I heard you say--to -look about and find out what I could. As to who those people in purple -were, I will tell you that at another time. The fact is, my friends, I -have no reason to love King Agrando, though I am an officer of his -household. He brought me here against my will from a distant country, -and has forced me to be a sort of slave to him and to take part in -things that I loathe and detest. But that is not the worst; I have a -deeper wrong to set right. I have long hoped that King Ivanta might pay -us a visit here so that I might appeal to him. But if you can take me -to him it will be better still. Will you swear to do so if I lead you -safely out of this den?' - -'You have my promise,' returned Alondra a little haughtily. 'There is -no need for me to repeat it or to swear.' - -The other looked at the young prince keenly, and then said, in a -satisfied tone, 'Your face is honest to look at, and I will trust to -your promise. Follow me and I will get you a disguise.' - -'A disguise!' exclaimed Alondra. 'What next?' - -'It is necessary. We cannot get out without the chance of running -against some one.' - -'We can get out the way we came,' Alondra asserted; but the stranger -shook his head. - -'No,' he said decidedly. 'I saw you come in, and the door you came -through is now locked and barred, and neither you nor I can open it. -You must come my way, or I must give up the idea of befriending you and -leave you to your own devices.' - -'Very well,' Alondra assented, somewhat ungraciously. He was getting -restive at the masterful manner of this stranger, who, after all, was -only an under-official--or, as he himself had admitted, a kind of slave. -'What is your name?' he added as an afterthought. - -The stranger hesitated for a brief space, then said, 'You may call me -Malto.' - -With that he turned away, and began stepping down from one row of seats -to another, walking as if plunged deep in thought, and seemingly taking -but little further notice of his companions. - -As for Gerald and Jack, they glanced at one another with perplexed and -wondering looks. This cool, self-possessed young fellow had somehow -impressed them favourably, and they were inclined to like him. But they -did not in the least understand him; and, like Alondra, they were -half-disposed to resent his assumption of so authoritative a manner. - -'My stars!' muttered Jack, under his breath, to Gerald, 'I fancy he -thinks we are some of the hangers-on amongst Mr Monck's suite!' - -Meantime, the stranger had reached the floor of the place, and was now -leading the way towards one end of it, which was closed in by some huge, -massive-looking gates. There was something grand yet repellent about -these gates. Upon them were carved two great heads as of some kind of -giants, which frowned down upon them in forbidding ugliness. - -Their leader turned to a small wicket gate at one side, and, taking a -key from his pocket, opened it, waited for the three to pass inside, -then closed it and locked it behind him. They were then in a dark -lobby. A moment later he opened another door, and they all passed -through it. - -Here the three looked round in wondering silence. They were in what -might have been either an immense underground cavern or a large -enclosure roofed over. The light was dim, the air was oppressive, and -there was a foul odour, which to the visitors seemed sickly and -nauseating. - -Before them, at some little distance, there was a network of metal bars, -which rose to a great height like an immense cage. It attracted their -attention at once to the exclusion of all other surroundings, for it -seemed to be the source of the evil smell which had assailed their -nostrils. - -Suddenly they were startled by a terrible scream. It was followed by a -cry as of some one in the extreme of fear and dread. At the same moment -a face distorted by terror came into view behind the bars. It was only -visible for a moment, then melted again into the gloom beyond. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXIII.* - - *A FOUL DEN.* - - -For a few moments the three friends stared without moving at the place -where the agonised face had appeared. They were spellbound with horror -of they knew not what; for though they could not see anything of what -was going on in the den in front of them, they could hear strange sounds -and weird noises. - -There was a rushing sound as of large bodies darting to and fro through -the air; they heard the beat of powerful wings, low gasps and gurgles, -yet could make out nothing in the obscurity. Then another terrible cry -was heard--this time an unmistakably human one: 'Malto! Malto! Is it -you? Save me! save me!' - -This appeal startled their new friend into instant action, and he dashed -toward the bars, crying out as he went, 'Have you arms, you three? If -you have, come and help me!' - -In a moment Gerald and Jack gripped their revolvers and raced after him. - -He made for a small metal gate in the bars, and after applying a key to -the lock began feverishly to work away at other fastenings which still -held it. The two chums stood beside him, gazing into the cage, trying to -make out what was going on within. Suddenly something swished past them. -It had the general appearance of a monstrous bat--certainly it had what -looked like the body and wings of a bat--but it also had a human face! - -'Malto! Malto!' cried this apparition, as it flew past--for it was -certainly flying--'make haste or it will be too late! I am tired out! -I'---- - -The last words were lost as it disappeared again into the darkness -beyond. Hardly had it passed when a huge shape came into view, beating -the air with great wings, evidently in hot pursuit of the other. It was -undoubtedly a monster bat--much bigger than the strange apparition with -the human face. - -Without waiting for instructions from Malto, both the chums fired at the -creature, but seemingly with no result; for it continued on its way, and -a moment later was lost in the shadows. - -Malto looked up in surprise at the sound of the shots; then resumed his -work at the fastenings, in which he was now assisted by Alondra. - -A moment later the gate was open. Malto snatched up a long, heavy piece -of wood which was lying near, and, entering the cage, stood boldly -waiting for the expected return of the monster. - -'This way, Malandris! this way! The gate is open!' he shouted, as he -looked about, trying to pierce the gloom. - -There was a low answering cry, and the form of the man-bat--as he seemed -to be--came into view, made a desperate attempt to keep up, but fell -exhausted at Malto's feet. - -Then the great bat itself appeared, and made a swoop to seize its prey. -It was met with a blow from the heavy wooden bar, whereupon it turned -viciously upon the rescuer. - -The great wings closed round him, and the immense claws with which they -were armed gripped him, striving to draw him within reach of the head, -with its open mouth and shining fangs. - -The wooden bar, however, was jammed against its breast, and prevented it -for the moment from coming to close quarters. Just then Gerald and -Jack, who had entered the cage behind Malto, fired their pistols -simultaneously. - -As a result, one wing could be seen to be hanging limply, broken by a -bullet; and as the creature gave utterance to another scream, Jack -rushed in and despatched it. - -Gerald and Alondra assisted the plucky young fellow to struggle out of -the enfolding wings. Directly he was clear he sprang up, and, seizing -upon the prostrate man, began to drag him towards the opening. - -'Quick, quick!' he cried. 'That scream was to call its mate to its aid, -and it will be here in another minute!' - -The man they had saved was unconscious; but the two chums laid hold of -him, and, picking him up with comparative ease, carried him out of the -cage. - -Hardly had the gate been closed behind them when there was heard a -repetition of the scream. A second monster came rushing out of the gloom -and hurled itself against the bars with a force which shook them as -though they had been but wire. - -Malto, badly mauled as he was, hastily fastened the gate, and then, -turning to the others, said hurriedly, 'There is no time to lose! If -you can carry my friend, who has fainted, bear him this way. The noise -will bring people here, and we shall be captured ourselves if they see -us!' - -Between them they bore the one they had rescued across the floor to a -small door upon the side opposite that by which they had entered. Malto -unlocked it, and when they were well inside closed it quickly. - -There were here, amongst other things, a number of queer-looking dresses -hung on pegs, and Malto took some down and urged the three friends to -dress themselves in them. - -'Make haste, while I attend to my friend!' he urged; and though Alondra -strongly disliked the idea of dressing himself up in a disguise, there -was that in their new friend's tone and manner which somehow silenced -his objections. The stranger, meantime, had obtained a bowl of water -from somewhere near, and sprinkled it in the face of the unconscious -man. Then he drew from his pocket a flask, which he held to the man's -lips, and a minute later the sufferer opened his eyes, gave a gasp, and -sat up. - -Presently he seemed to recollect what had happened, and, realising the -need for action himself, he struggled to his feet. He looked a -grotesque figure indeed, and the three who had helped to save him, busy -though they were, trying to fit on their strange garments, could not -help staring at him in wonder. He was evidently 'got up' in imitation -of a great bat--that much seemed certain--but the reason of such an -extraordinary get-up was for the time being a riddle to which they could -find no answer. - -Whatever the original intention in wearing the dress may have been, -however, it was clear that Malto saw no use in its continuance, for he -proceeded to assist the wearer to discard it and attire himself in some -of the garments which were hanging on the pegs. Then he rolled up the -whole affair into a bundle, and concealed it in a corner beneath a pile -of skins. - -They were now all garbed in a quaint kind of costume, the chief points -of which consisted of a high hat and a loose cloak, which hid the -clothes they were still wearing underneath. It was one of the dresses -worn by the attendants of the palace, so Malto briefly explained, while -peering out through a grating in the door to see what was going on in -the place they had just left. - -As he had expected would be the case, the noise of the revolver shots -had brought some people upon the scene. He could see a group gathered -near the cage, staring at the dead monster, while others were moving -about in search of a clue to the mystery of how it had come by its -death. - -'They will be in here directly,' Malto said in a low tone, after a brief -inspection. 'We had better be off!--Do you think you can walk, -Malandris?' - -'Ay, ay, and run too, if needs be,' returned the rescued man briskly. -'I am all right now. I owe you my life'---- - -'Never mind that now. This is no time for talk,' Malto interrupted. -'Just take a last look round, to make sure we have left nothing to tell -that we have been here, and follow me!' - -He unlocked a door on one side, and they passed out in silence into a -passage, which was almost in darkness. A little farther on there were -several flights of steps, and, having ascended these, they came out, -after some careful reconnoitring through another door, into the open air -in a spacious courtyard. - -Malto locked the door behind him, and, enjoining caution upon his -companions, led the way to a large gateway which they could see in front -of them. - -'If any one addresses you, say nothing, but leave it to me,' he said to -Alondra and his friends. 'Your speech would betray you at once.' - -As they drew near the gates they were pushed open, and a number of men -in the purple dresses they had seen inside marched in, with soldierly -bearing and military precision. - -One, who seemed to be an officer, stopped and spoke to Malto; and again -Alondra heard the strange tongue which he had noted before. - -Malto remained a short time in talk, while his companions walked on with -as good an imitation of carelessness as they could summon up on the spur -of the moment. - -When Malto came up with them he was smiling quietly to himself. - -'It's lucky they did not see us come out of that door,' he said to -Malandris, 'or they would have asked awkward questions as to how I came -to have a key.' - -'Ah, that is what has been puzzling me all this time,' observed -Malandris. - -'That is my secret for the present,' returned Malto. 'It is a little -secret which would interest Kazzaro even more than it does you, if he -happened to be aware that I had such a key.' - -'What has been puzzling me,' said Alondra, addressing Malandris, 'is how -you came to be in that cage, and in such an extraordinary dress--if one -can call it a dress. I suppose some one must have placed you there. -Who could have been guilty of such an atrocious act?' - -Malandris, who was a tall, elderly man, with grizzled hair and a worn, -haggard-looking face, shook his head with a sigh, as he answered, 'That -you should wonder, young sir, only shows that you must be a stranger -hereabouts--one who knows not the master we serve, or what he is capable -of.' - -'Hark! what is that?' exclaimed Malto suddenly. 'I 'm afraid they 've -got upon our track! Do you see that tower yonder?' - -Before them lay a wide, grassy expanse, at the end of which was a sort -of ornamental pavilion or small tower. - -'That is the place we have to make for,' he went on. 'If we can reach -it, we shall be safe--at all events, for a time--till assistance comes. -If necessary, we must run for it.' - -As he spoke, the low murmur which he had noted behind them grew into a -clamorous shouting, and a moment later a crowd of pursuers came running -through the gateway they had so recently passed through. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXIV.* - - *AT THE PAVILION.* - - -'You said a little while ago that you could run if needs were,' said -Malto, addressing Malandris. 'You must try now, at any rate. I will -help you.' - -'I am quite recovered,' was the answer. 'We must look after these young -people.' - -'Oh, that I had my wings! Why did I leave them behind this morning!' -exclaimed Alondra. - -'You may as well throw off those disguises,' Malto advised. 'They are -of no use now, and will only hamper you.' - -As yet their pursuers were a long way off, for after the reconnoitre at -the gateway the fugitives had stepped out briskly, and had covered -nearly half the distance to the pavilion before the alarm had been -given. - -They now set off at a run, after discarding their disguises, and at -first it seemed as though there would be no difficulty in reaching the -tower well ahead of their pursuers. Indeed, the latter seemed, at one -time, to have almost given up the chase; for only a few were to be seen -coming towards them; the rest had halted. - -A few moments later, however, the cause of the delay became clear. -Suddenly a man rose in the air on motor-wings and began to sail rapidly -towards them. He was armed with a trident. Convinced that he would -easily effect the capture of the fugitives, who had, as could be seen, -neither shields nor tridents, the remainder of the crowd followed -quietly in the rear. They would be in plenty of time, they reckoned, to -pick up the unconscious bodies when the man with the trident had dealt -with them. - -Malto muttered something between his set teeth. - -'I 'm afraid it is no use,' said Malandris despondently, as he ran along -beside the others. 'He is bound to overtake us, and we are all -unarmed.' - -'Not quite,' Jack answered. 'If they think we are, so much the better; -it may give us a chance to get on equal terms with that flying chap. -His trident is no good at more than twenty yards. We have something -here which reaches farther than that.' - -He and Gerald had drawn their revolvers, and were looking to the hammers -as they raced onwards, to make quite sure that they were in working -order. Everything would depend upon making good practice with their -first shots. - -'You aim at one wing, Gerald,' said Jack; 'I will aim at the fellow's -arm which carries the trident. Take it easy! Don't run too fast; it -will make your hand shake.' - -They continued on their way for some distance farther. The pavilion was -now not far off; so also, unfortunately, was the flying man with his -trident. - -Jack gave a sign to Gerald, and they both turned and faced him. Alondra -stopped too; and the others, although they did not exactly understand -what was likely to happen, immediately halted, because they would not -leave the three to their fate. - -As it happened, this was the best thing they could have done. The -flying man interpreted their action as an abject surrender. He -slackened speed and came on carelessly. - -Then two shots rang out. Jack's aim was true; his bullet struck the -man's right arm, and the trident flew from the hand which had grasped -it. Gerald's first shot missed, but his second struck one wing and -smashed the light framework. The wing drooped, and the flier fell -heavily to the ground. - - - *[Illustration: The wing drooped, and the flier - fell heavily to the ground - (missing from source book)]* - - -'Good! Good! Capital!' Malto and Malandris cried out, in surprised -wonder and delight at this turn of affairs, for neither of them -understood anything about pistols. - -'Now, run for it, my friends! We shall get there first yet!' Jack -called out. - -'Let me have his trident, though,' said Alondra, as he picked up the -fallen man's weapon. 'This may come in useful, you know.' - -There was a great outcry behind them as the pursuers witnessed the -discomfiture of the aeronaut. The crowd at once took up the chase in a -manner which showed how confidently they had been counting upon his -ability to capture the fugitives without their aid. - -As has been stated, the men in the dark-purple dresses were big, fine -men, all of them. There was that in their aspect, too, which betokened -a fierce nature, used to warfare. - -They quickly made it evident that they were good runners, and they -started off now in earnest and came on swiftly. But they had lost -whatever chance they might at first have had of overtaking those they -were chasing, by trusting too confidently to the man with the wings. - -By the time they reached the base of the tower the fugitives had already -dashed up the steps leading to the entrance, had opened and passed -through some barred gates, fastened them behind them, and gained the -shelter of the doorway. - -A minute or two afterwards they appeared upon a balcony, of which there -were several running round the tower on the outside, one above the -other, and complacently smiled down upon their baffled foes. - -'Well, we 've beaten 'em so far,' exclaimed Malto. 'I had almost given -up hope. We should have been done for if it hadn't been for those noisy -playthings of yours, young gentlemen. May I ask what they are, and -where they come from? I have never met with that kind of weapon -before.' - -'They come from a far country, so far that your head would scarcely -carry the tale of the figures if I were to attempt to give them to you,' -Alondra declared laughingly. 'Now, what is to be done next? Our foes -will be sending an airship against us, I suppose; and if assistance -doesn't reach us pretty soon I am afraid they will have the best of it, -after all.' - -'No, I don't think there is any fear of that. They won't send an airship -against us,' said Malto. - -Malandris shook his head too. 'Not during the day,' he assented. 'They -might when it gets dark, if we are still here.' - -'Why not?' asked Jack, in surprise. - -'It would attract attention. You see, our master has visitors. Prince -Alondra, the son of King Ivanta, is staying here; and he, or some of his -people, might be cruising about in his air-yacht or in some of the -airships which came with him. If they caught sight of an airship engaged -in fighting operations down here their curiosity might be aroused, and -they might come and ask inconvenient questions.' - -At this Gerald and Jack glanced at one another and then at Alondra, and -nearly burst out laughing; but the latter made a sign, and they turned -away and said nothing. The young prince wished to keep his identity a -secret a little longer, in order that he might have an opportunity of -quietly probing farther into the meaning of the extraordinary events of -that eventful morning. - -'What, then, do you suppose they will do?' Alondra went on. - -'Oh, very likely nothing at all! Just loaf about to make sure that we -don't get away during the day. They know they can't break into this -pavilion; it has been strongly built on purpose. Then at night they -will make sure of us. Our best hope is that we may see some passing -airship and attract the attention of the people in her, and that they -may come and take us off.' - -'That doesn't sound very hopeful. It might be one of Agrando's -airships,' Jack pointed out. - -'On the other hand, it might be one belonging to his visitors,' said -Malto. 'Then, I imagine, we should be all right. I suppose you belong -to their party, don't you? I have been thinking it over, and can't -guess who else you can be. You said you could take me to King Ivanta, -and I don't see how you could make such a promise unless you belonged to -the prince's party.' - -He looked searchingly at Alondra as he spoke, and there was in his tone -and look a suggestion of reproach at their keeping him in the dark. - -'You are quite right, my friend,' Alondra now said gravely. 'We do -belong to the party of visitors you speak of. I expect they are already -wondering where we have got to, and will be coming out to look for us -before long. So I hope our troubles are over, or soon will be. And -now, as we have time for a little talk, I want to hear your stories--you -two. Explain to me the meaning of all that has happened.' - -But Malto shook his head. - -'I wish to tell it all to King Ivanta, and to no one else,' he declared. -'You have promised to take me to him, and I shall ask you to keep your -promise, and to refrain from questioning me meantime. Cannot you -understand that the king might not be pleased if he found I had been -talking freely of things which he may wish had been kept for his ear -alone?' - -Alondra was silent. He felt that Malto was right, and could not but -respect him for his caution. At the same time, he was burning to have -some explanation of their adventures. - -'But you said you wished for our testimony to back up yours,' he -reminded him. 'How can we help in that way if you do not enlighten us -as to what it is we are to testify about?' - -It was now Malto's turn to ponder, and he remained for a space gazing -out thoughtfully over the expanse of ground which lay upon the other -side of the pavilion. - -The three followed his glance, and noted that the building formed part -of the boundary wall of an extensive enclosure, which just here -consisted of an extremely high and massive-looking stone fence, adorned -at the top with formidable metal spikes. - -Farther round, to right and to left, the boundary wall consisted of -precipitous rocks, which shut the place in, and made it a kind of a -park. - -Alondra noted this, and, breaking off from the subject of his last -question, asked why they could not descend from the pavilion into this -enclosure. It seemed to him that it would be a difficult matter for -their enemies to scale the wall in order to follow them. - -Just as he had spoken there rose on the air a strange, weird, booming -sound. It was a sort of bellowing roar, but far louder and more -startling than the bellow of a bull or the roar of the largest lion ever -seen or heard of. The sound seemed to come from a distance; yet it was -so loud that it almost made the tower itself tremble. That it was -produced by some member of the animal kingdom seemed pretty certain. -But what horrible monster could it be which could make such a sound? -There was something almost supernatural in its awful depth and power; -something appalling in the menacing tones of the hoarse, ferocious growl -into which it changed as it gradually died away. - -'What in the name of all that is horrible is that?' cried the startled -young prince. - -'It is the answer to your question,' returned Malto quietly. 'That is -to say, it partly answers both your questions. I may go so far as to -explain that my original object in coming here, before we were found out -and pursued, was that you might perhaps hear that terrible roar, and -possibly catch sight of the creature which gave utterance to it. But it -is not at present in sight, and I imagine that, after what you heard, -you will scarcely care to get out on the other side of the pavilion and -go to look for it?' - -'I--I think not,' said Alondra. 'I will take your word for it that we -are probably safer even here than we should be down there.' - -'You are,' answered Malto drily. 'It is a creature upon which neither -your trident nor the strange weapons of your young friends would make -more impression than upon yonder rocks! Now you will be able, if we -ever come before King Ivanta, to confirm one part of what I wish him to -know. King Agrando has a name as a collector of all kinds of curiosities -and monstrosities. King Ivanta has himself helped him to make his -collection the most comprehensive that has ever been seen'---- - -'Yes, yes, I know all that,' Alondra put in impatiently. - -'Ay, but what you do not know is this--that Agrando's object in -gathering these out-of-the-way things about him is not altogether a mere -harmless love of the curious. He is a monster of cruelty'---- - -'A perfect fiend!' Malandris interjected. - -'His craze--for such it is--is a sort of madness,' Malto continued. 'It -is to set men to fight for their lives with the most terrible creatures -he can find to pit against them. That is the amusement he and that -demon Kazzaro delight in! That is why they have constructed all these -secret places, which none know of save themselves and their myrmidons. -Little does the noble-minded Ivanta dream of the proceedings of these -two, or of the way in which he has himself contributed to them. If he -but knew'---- - -'Eh, what? How dare--I mean, how can King Ivanta have contributed to -such horrible cruelties as you are hinting at?' demanded Alondra hotly. - -'I don't wonder that you are moved to indignation, young sir. But I am -not blaming King Ivanta. He has been deceived. For instance, he, it is -said, paid a visit to another planet, and brought back with him many -strange and horrible monsters never seen or heard of on our globe. Is -it not so?' - -'Well?' - -'Many of them were the young of fearful creatures. But, young or old, -he presented Agrando with specimens for his collection.' - -'Very likely. What then? I see no harm in that.' - -'No. For King Ivanta little guessed the use which the tyrant's -ingenious brain would put them to. Agrando gave out that most of them -died in captivity, that the climate here did not suit them, and so on. -Was it not so?' - -'Very likely. I have heard something of the sort. What then?' - -'It is untrue that they died--at least, as regards most of them. The -greater part--some of the most ferocious, terrible creatures amongst -them--he nursed with perverted tenderness and care. He has reared them -and brought them to maturity. Now his sole use for them is to pit them -against any one who happens to incur his anger; which means, of course, -simply dooming the hapless wretch to a cruel and terrible death. You -have just heard the voice of one; you saw others--monster bats which -they call krudias--in the cage below; you have also seen one of the -intended victims, and helped me to rescue him at the last moment.' - -'Ay, he sent me there--sentenced me to that awful fate merely in a fit -of passing temper,' Malandris declared. 'My crime was only that I had -mistaken an order he gave me!' - -'Horrible! Incredible!' cried Alondra, his eyes flashing with -indignation and disgust. - -'You may well say incredible,' muttered Malto. 'That is why I wished you -to see some of the creatures for yourselves, you three, so that King -Ivanta might have your testimony to confirm mine. Otherwise, he might -think my statements, as you say, incredible. Little did I imagine then, -however, that you would witness such a convincing proof or that I should -find my friend Malandris in that cage!' - -'And why were you dressed up in that grotesque fashion?' Alondra asked -of Malandris. - -'Oh, that is one of Kazzaro's little jokes! It is a whim of his -sometimes to dress his victims up like the creatures they are doomed to -fight against.' - -'But he wasn't there to look on to-day,' Jack commented. - -'I suppose he happened to be particularly busy over something else, or -he would have been,' said Malandris grimly. He shuddered, and looked -around half-apprehensively. 'Now you can understand how much depends -upon our being able to escape from here, and what it will mean if we -fall again into his power.' - -Gerald and Jack stared at one another, almost stupefied with horror. - -'Did ever two such miscreants exist before, I wonder?' said Jack. 'How -right, Gerald, you were when you called Kazzaro the Ogre!' - -'I am in for it, too, now, of course,' Malto added. 'They know by this -time what I have done; and I shall find no mercy there if I am dragged -back into their clutches.' - -'But you sha'n't be!' cried Alondra, impulsively. 'I will not allow it! -And King Agrando, strong as he may deem himself upon his own ground, -dares not attempt to take you against my will.' - -Malto and Malandris looked at him in astonishment at this unexpected -outburst. - -'Your feelings do you credit, young sir,' said the elder man; 'but I -fear your brave words will not avail us much.' He smiled slightly and -sighed. - -'But who are you, then, to talk like that?' exclaimed Malto -incredulously. - -'This is King Ivanta's son, Prince Alondra!' said Jack. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXV.* - - *AGRANDO THROWS OFF THE MASK.* - - -King Agrando sat in his own particular sanctum, watching, with absorbed -attention, the proceedings of the Diamond King, who was engaged in -fitting together, by way of trial, the several parts of a new crown. - -Upon the table before him were spread out several heaps of lustrous, -sparkling loose stones, some of which must have been among the finest of -their kind in existence. - -Agrando had made up his mind that this new crown was to be the most -magnificent that ever adorned the head of mortal potentate. Had he not -here at hand to advise him the greatest living authority upon such -subjects--Zuanstroom to wit--who claimed that he had seen, handled, -examined, and photographed the most splendid crowns which graced the -various royal heads upon our planet? - -Zuanstroom picked up the gems one by one, and placed them tentatively in -the golden framework, stepping back from time to time to observe the -effect, as does an artist with his picture. Then, if the result did not -commend itself to his sense of the fitness of things, he would take some -of them out, and replace them with others of a different size or colour. - -Agrando looked on, a curious variety of expressions flitting across his -face. He could not but admire the beauty of the work of art which was -slowly growing under his eyes. Yet he grudged the worker the delight of -handling the bewitching jewels. - -To these two there entered Kazzaro. It was easy to see that he was put -out about something or other, and that he was in a very bad humour even -for him, which is saying a good deal. It should rather be said, -perhaps, that it would have been easy to perceive this if any one had -looked at him; as a matter of exact fact, no one did. Agrando's gaze was -fixed upon the table as though he feared that if he removed it for a -single instant some one would snatch at an odd stone and hide it away. -He knew his henchman's voice, and had no need to make use of his sight -to inform him who it was who had intruded upon his privacy. - -'All gone wrong--miscarried!' he heard Kazzaro grumble. 'That young -upstart Alondra has escaped my snare after all!' - -'So,' said Agrando, without taking his glance off the table, 'you 've -managed to blunder again, then?' - -'Blunder, indeed!' growled the Ogre. 'I thought he was safe. I as good -as watched him drown! I saw him in the deadly coils which no one has -ever escaped before, up to his very neck in water. Then I came away in -haste, for fear some one might enter and find me there. Some one did -enter--must have done, I imagine--and just in time to rescue him, after -all!' - -The king muttered something between his teeth. - -Just then an officer came in and said something to Kazzaro in a low -tone. The latter started, turned visibly pale, and then, without a -word, left the apartment with him. - -He was gone about a quarter of an hour, and when he returned he was -almost choking with rage. - -'It's all up!' he cried, throwing his hands into the air. 'There is -treachery--treason--at work! Some strangers have made their way below -and rescued Malandris from the cage. He is missing, and so is Malto; -and there are signs that some of your visitors from the evening star -have been there, for they have killed one of the krudias with their -fire-weapons. Did I not warn you against ever allowing these people to -come here prying about? This is what has come of it!' - -Agrando at last was roused, and he turned his eyes from his beloved -jewels. But when his gaze fell upon Kazzaro there was in it a menace -which made even that hardened miscreant tremble. - -'Miserable wretch!' thundered his master. 'You dare to say this to me -as an excuse for your own clumsy blundering and lack of vigilance! By -Krondris, I'---- - -What awful threat he was about to utter, however, cannot be told, for he -was interrupted by the unceremonious entry of Zuanstroom's son Silas. - -'Father, father!' he exclaimed, failing, in his excitement, to notice -the black looks cast at him by Agrando. 'Gerald and Jack have been -shooting some of King Agrando's soldiers, who have got them shut up in -the pavilion tower! Alondra is with them, and two of King Agrando's -officers. I know their names--they are Malto and Malandris! I saw them -shoot down a man sent to bring them back when they were running away.' -Out of breath, first with running and then with this speech, poured -forth in a violent hurry, Silas subsided, panting, into a chair. - -'They are in the pavilion--that tower by the side of the place where -"the great beast," as you call it, lives?' asked Agrando with deadly -calmness. - -'Yes, sir. They are defying all your people there, hoping, I expect, to -be taken off by Alondra's yacht.' - -Agrando and Kazzaro looked at each other, the latter mutely asking for -orders. - -'We must have them out of that tower,' said Agrando, in a hard, resolute -tone, 'before they can be taken off! Do you hear? We must have them at -any cost. Send out war-vessels! Knock the tower down with the traitors -in it! Crush them at any cost!' - -'But how if Alondra's yacht reaches him first?' queried Kazzaro. - -'Fight them! I 'm sick of this dissembling! Everything is prepared! We -will throw off the mask, and show Ivanta that we have some teeth beneath -it to bite with!' - - - - - *CHAPTER XXVI.* - - *THE WIRELESS MESSAGE.* - - -While Agrando was issuing the orders which would precipitate his -long-thought-of revolt against his overlord King Ivanta, Alondra and his -four companions were waiting, with what patience they could command, for -the hoped-for arrival of their friends. - -For a while there was a pause in the hostilities. Either their foes -recognised that it was not possible to attack them successfully with the -means then at their disposal, or they deemed it impolitic to do so. -After taking counsel together, they appeared resolved to content -themselves for the time with laying siege to the pavilion. - -The only incident worthy of note during this interval was that a wind -sprang up, bringing with it heavy clouds. Rumblings were heard more -than once as of distant thunder, and there were other indications of a -coming storm. - -Jack's abrupt announcement of Alondra's identity had naturally produced -a great effect upon the two officers of Agrando with whom they had -become so strangely associated. So surprising had the statement seemed -that Malto had at first been inclined to be incredulous. He -half-suspected that the statement might be a bit of rather ill-timed -levity on the part of the one who had made it. But a little reflection -altered this view. - -'I have been foolish--blind--not to have guessed it before!' he -exclaimed. 'Prince, I have to ask your pardon for several things I said -which may perhaps have displeased you, especially when I refused -point-blank to answer some of your questions.' - -'Nay, I think you were right in the circumstances,' said Alondra. 'It -proves that one can rely upon you to be close and discreet when you deem -it necessary.' - -Malandris also had apologies to make; but Jack and Gerald both noticed -that his demeanour was different from that of Malto. The former spoke -and behaved just in the way that any one might be expected to do who is -confused at finding he has been all unknowingly talking rather freely in -the presence of a superior. Malto, on the other hand, appeared in no -wise embarrassed. He made his apologies with perfect self-possession, -and carried himself as though he were in the habit of associating with -distinguished personages every day of his life. - -Alondra noticed this too, and at first was a little inclined to resent -it; but Malto's manner was so entirely unconscious and free from offence -that, with his usual good nature, the young prince quickly thrust the -idea aside. 'Well, now,' he said, when he had listened to their -apologies and given kindly and suitable replies, 'we are wasting time. -As my people don't seem to be coming to look for me of their own accord, -I must summon them.' - -His companions stared at him with puzzled looks. - -'I don't see how you are going to do that!' observed Jack. - -'I will let you into a little secret, then. My royal father lent me, -just before we came away, one of his pocket telegraph-boxes; and he lent -Monck Affelda another, so that we might be able to communicate with one -another if we were separated. Perhaps he did not trust King Agrando -quite so much as he appeared to do. Anyway, he lent us these. He -usually keeps them for the exclusive use of himself and his most -confidential officers, and very few people even know of their existence. -He invented and designed them himself, and the working parts were made -by workmen he could trust, who were sworn to secrecy.' - -The term 'Affelda,' applied to Monck, it may be here explained, was a -term of courtesy and respect in use among the Martians. It signified -rather more than our 'Mr' and something less than 'lord.' - -As Alondra spoke he drew from a side-pocket a small affair which looked -at first sight like a gold chronometer attached to a gold chain. Just -then there came another rumbling warning of the approaching storm. - -'Come inside. We shall be quieter there,' he said. - -They left the outside gallery, or balcony, and went into an inner -chamber, where were seats and a plain wood table. Upon the latter he -placed the little 'watch.' - -'The wood acts as a sounding-board, and we shall hear better,' he -explained. - -He touched a spring and a lid flew open. Then he touched other springs, -and at once there was heard the sound of little bells or gongs not -unlike those of a repeater watch. He repeated this performance several -times, waiting a little while between, as though expecting some reply -which did not come. - -The others stood around, looking on with perplexed curiosity and -wondering what it was all about. - -'It seems to me it is a repeater watch,' said Jack presently. 'The -gongs are beautiful and silvery in tone; but how in the world they are -going to'---- - -'Hush!' exclaimed Alondra, with a warning gesture. He had placed the -instrument on the table and left it to itself; and now, lo! the little -gongs were ringing away on their own account. Alondra bent over it and -listened intently, holding up his hand the while to enjoin strict -silence on his companions. Then, when the sounds ceased, he manipulated -the gongs himself in turn; immediately he left them alone they again -rung out by themselves. - -It appeared to the onlookers as though a sort of conversation were being -carried on in some mysterious fashion between Alondra and the curious -little machine. - -Then a thought flashed into Jack's mind. 'Wireless telegraphy--or I 'm -a Dutchman!' he breathed. Still the curious performance went on, and the -longer it continued the graver grew Alondra's face. His brow clouded -over, and at last, when there came a pause, and he drew himself up, it -could be seen that his face was flushed and his eyes flashing. - -'Treason!' he cried. 'Foul treachery is at work! Agrando has made an -attempt to seize my whole party! Some of them he has indeed already -basely captured; and he has now actually attacked some of our airships. -Monck is in difficulties himself, he tells me; but he hopes to be able -to send my yacht to our aid soon, now that I have told him where we are. -Whether he can do more than that, he says, he really does not yet know.' - -There were exclamations of amazement at these sinister tidings, and the -friends stared at one another in bewildered perplexity. - -'I can scarcely, even now, believe it!' cried Alondra. - -'You are sure there is no mistake? Or may it be that some one is -playing a joke upon you?' suggested Gerald rather vaguely. - -'No one would dare to attempt such a thing!' Alondra asserted haughtily. - -'But--it sounds impossible,' said Jack helplessly. - -'It wouldn't if you knew our master as well as we do,' Malandris put in. -'I have had an idea for some time past that something of the kind was -hatching.' - -'If it be as you say, Prince, our position is critical indeed,' Malto -declared. 'Agrando will not hesitate now to send one of his airships -against us--the very thing I thought we were safe from so long as -daylight lasted. I am afraid we must make up our minds to the -inevitable--we shall all be his prisoners before another hour is over. -And what that means you can now guess; although what we have already -told you is but a small portion of the actual truth.' - -'My father will rescue us; and they dare not harm us meantime!' cried -Alondra proudly. 'Agrando knows too well the terrible vengeance that -would be exacted.' - -Malto shook his head. - -'Do not count too much upon that, Prince,' he said. 'It was partly the -fear that some such plot was brewing which made me wish to see King -Ivanta in order that I might warn him. I had hoped that in return he -would be willing to assist me in another matter on which my heart is -set--to right a great wrong. But I fear it is useless to dream of it -now.' And he sighed. - -'But is there no other way of escape open to us?' Jack asked. 'Surely, -if it be that our friends cannot come to our aid, we should do better to -try some other plan rather than stay on here to be tamely captured -whenever it pleases Agrando to send an airship to take us prisoners!' - -'Yes, it might be better even to risk a run across the enclosure where -your monster lives,' Gerald put in. 'It is only a choice of -monsters--that or Agrando.' - -'Very likely both--Agrando will give us to him later on,' said Malandris -grimly. - -'Well, then, what is this place that we are in?' Jack went on. 'Is it -empty? Is there nothing in the place that might be useful to help us to -defend ourselves?' - -'This pavilion is a sort of grand stand--a place of vantage from which -the privileged spectators obtain a good view--and a safe one--of what -takes place in the enclosure when there is anything exciting going on,' -Malandris explained. 'It is not used for any other purpose, and is -empty'---- - -'Wait a moment!' Malto interrupted, with a sudden light in his eyes. 'I -am not so sure that it is quite empty. Is there not a store-place -below, where they keep'---- - -'You are right, Malto,' the other answered in some excitement. 'I had -forgotten it. There may be some arms and things there which would be -useful indeed if we have to try to hold out for a time till assistance -can reach us. But I am afraid the place is locked up'---- - -'Perhaps my key will fit; if not, we must break it open.' - -Just then there came a great gust of wind and another and louder growl -of thunder; and a little later there was heard an outburst of shouting -outside. Malto ran out on to the balcony to see what it meant. - -There was a good deal of excitement amongst their enemies below. People -were talking one to another, and some were pointing up at the pavilion, -while a few were huddled together in a knot. In the middle of these last -were seen two men who were doing something with some wings, seemingly -preparatory to taking a flight in the air. - -'They have thrown off all thought of concealment,' said Malto, coming -inside again. 'You can see that. So what you told us, Prince, must be -only too true! They are going to send a couple of fliers up to attempt -our capture.' - -'But in that case, why does not Agrando send an airship and settle the -matter at once?' Gerald asked. - -'I expect just now all his airships are busy fighting my friends,' said -Alondra. 'They will attend to us presently, I suppose, if the people -here don't succeed.' - -'Well, we will make a fight of it, anyway!' cried Malto sturdily. 'I -believe we may find the means down below, if you can keep them at bay -for a little time while we search'---- - -'We can manage that, I think,' Jack answered him. 'Do you go below and -see what you can find to help us.' - -Again there came a blustering gust of the fast-rising wind. Then there -was a blinding flash, followed by a deafening crash of thunder which -shook the whole building to its foundations. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXVII.* - - *A DESPERATE VENTURE.* - - -Malto and Malandris disappeared down a stairway; and Alondra and the two -chums strolled on to the outside gallery to watch their foes. - -The wind was now very high, and the darkening sky grew blacker every -minute. The swirling gusts whistled and shrieked amongst the outer -metal framework, and moaned dismally through the windows and doors. - -On each floor of the pavilion there was one of these galleries which ran -the whole way round on the outside, being partitioned off from the -interior by glass windows only. Hence there was almost as good a view -from the inside as from without; except that one could not look over and -see what was going on immediately beneath. - -'The storm seems likely to be a bit of luck for us,' Jack observed, as -he watched the preparations which were going on below. 'They don't seem -to find it to their liking.' - -So boisterous had the weather become that they found wings almost -unmanageable. The two men were trying their best to manipulate some -contrivances of the kind, but with scant success. Every time an attempt -was made at a start, a blast would come along, swishing and buffeting -the outspread wings, and dashing one or other of them to the ground ere -the aeronaut could rise high enough to use them properly. - -'Why, it doesn't seem much use to think of attacking us in that way in -such a wind!' exclaimed Gerald. 'If they even succeed in making a -start, they will only run a risk of being either dashed against the -building or carried past it out of sight. And they couldn't hope to fly -back in face of this wind, could they?' - -'No, you are quite right,' Alondra returned. 'I must say those two -fellows must be either unusually clever or uncommonly foolish, to think -they can attack us under such circumstances. Nevertheless, we must be -on our guard. One of them might, by some chance, get blown against the -framework here, and cling to it. Then, with his trident, he would make -short work of us if he caught us within reach.' - -'And if we were idle meantime,' put in Jack, between his teeth. 'There, -look at that!' - -One of the daring aeronauts had taken advantage, as he thought, of a -slight lull, and had sprung up into the air. But a sudden gust caught -one of the wings and dashed it violently to the ground again, causing -him to fall heavily. - -'If that's all they can do, we haven't much to fear from them!' cried -Gerald, rubbing his hands. - -But his rejoicing came too soon, for even as he spoke there came another -lull; and the other aeronaut rose into the air and came straight towards -them. - -Alondra laid a hand upon both of his companions and dragged them -promptly back through the door, and closed it. Jack, who had been about -to fire at the assailant, looked not a little surprised. - -'Another moment--before you could use your weapon--he would have had the -three of us!' exclaimed the young prince. 'We had better watch him from -behind the glass, where we are safe, and wait to see what happens next.' - -The two chums could but recognise the wisdom of this advice. They had -not at first realised that the man had risen high enough to bring them -within range. They had been in imminent danger, therefore--supposing -their foe had been able to use his trident--of being assailed and -rendered helpless before their bullets could take effect. Inside the -glass they were safe, for the fateful flash could not penetrate it. - -The attacker seemed to be coming on gaily, or, at least, without any -great trouble, when another blast caught him and spun him round like a -great top. Then, ere he could reach the gallery, it carried him -downwards with a sudden swoop, and left him helpless, but unhurt, at the -foot of the building. - -He picked himself up, and a crowd of his friends seized upon him and -half-carried, half-dragged him back to a distance which they considered -necessary for another attempt. - -'We had a narrow escape,' Alondra declared. 'He is a plucky fellow; and -he was as cool and unflustered just then as if there had been no roaring -wind playing around. I saw it in his eye. It was lucky I did see it, -and rushed you two into shelter in time.' - -'We have to thank you for being so prompt, then,' Jack answered. 'We -must be more careful next time. He 'll have another try, I suppose?' - -'I don't know. I almost doubt if he will risk it, plucky as he -evidently is. You can hear how the wind is increasing.' - -He opened the door a little way as he spoke, and such a gust came in as -almost forced it out of his hand. - -'It's a regular tempest!' cried Gerald. 'The building itself seems to -rock about with it and almost feels as if it might blow over.' - -'Yes, it will certainly stop any further attempts of that kind,' Alondra -decided. 'No man who is not a fool or a madman would trust himself on -wings in such a storm. His life would not be worth a minute's purchase. -He would be likely to be blown against the first thing that came in his -way, and have his brains dashed out. No airship, even--unless it were -the great _Ivenia_--could make headway against such a wind.' - -'What you say is true enough, Prince; yet I am afraid we shall have to -show ourselves mad enough to risk it,' said Malto, who had re-entered -the apartment unperceived. 'If the chance were offered you of trying to -escape on wings, now, at this moment, or waiting to be pounced upon by -Agrando's people later on, which would you choose?' - -'What is the use of asking such a question?' Alondra queried in return, -somewhat impatiently. 'Surely we have something more urgent to think of -just now than'---- - -'Not at all,' answered Malto coolly. 'It happens to be the most urgent -question of the moment. To cut the matter short, Prince, we have met -with a great find. We have discovered, besides the tridents and things -I had hoped for, several complete flying-outfits. They are motor-wings, -and if you have the courage to try your luck with them in this storm, -there is no reason why we should not bid Agrando's people a cheery -"Good-bye," and flit off before his airships come buzzing about our ears -in real earnest.' - -The friends stared at one another in blank astonishment. Here was an -unexpected turn indeed! Truly, it was a most momentous decision which -they were called upon to make--to do that which Alondra but a minute -before had pronounced none but a fool or madman would dare to risk, or -stay and take their chance of being rescued. - -'Honestly, it seems to me our only plan,' Malto declared. 'Malandris -and I have been discussing it downstairs, and we came to the conclusion -that your friends would have been here before this if they were coming -at all. I am sorry to say I fear they must have got the worst of it; -and Agrando is only waiting till the wind drops to come and seize us. -He thinks he is sure of us; and need not, therefore, risk one of his -airships in such a storm.' - -'I fear you must be right, my friend,' said Alondra sadly. 'In that -case, your plan, wild as it would otherwise be, is the only one open to -us. For my part, I will risk it.' - -'And I!' exclaimed Gerald and Jack together. - -'Then the sooner we act upon that decision the better,' said Malto. 'At -any moment the wind may drop, and our chance will have gone. Everything -is ready. From the top outside gallery we can get a better send-off -than those chaps down there had. We can slip out upon the farther side, -and be off and away before they have time to understand what's afoot. -Then we must trust to the very force of the wind to carry us well beyond -their reach. There is one suggestion I have to make. It is that we -shall be all five roped together with double ropes, so that we shall -keep together; in that way, if one is in trouble, the others may be able -to help him. Otherwise, we shall probably be blown about like flies, -and lose touch with one another in the first ten minutes.' - -No time was lost in further discussion. They all set to work with a -will, dragging the necessary equipage up to the top floor. There they -speedily completed their arrangements, went out on to the outside -gallery, and, after some preliminary manoeuvring, Malto gave the signal. - -Being on the lee side, sheltered for the moment from the gale, they -managed to make a fairly good start. They threw themselves fearlessly -from the gallery, and a great shout of rage and astonishment which came -to their ears from below told them that their foes had just caught sight -of them. - -A moment more and the howling tempest had caught them and was whirling -them madly forward. Upwards they sailed with poised wings, like immense -birds, while their bewildered enemies below gazed after them with -staring eyes and open mouths. - -There was another flash of lightning, followed on the instant by a crash -that seemed to shake the very rocks around; and then there were cries -and shrieks from the crowd as stones and pieces of metal-work came -flying through the air. - -The lightning had struck the pavilion and wrecked it! - - - - - *CHAPTER XXVIII.* - - *SAILING ON THE STORM-WIND.* - - -The five adventurous fliers were borne along by the wind in a fashion -which can be better imagined than described. - -To Gerald and Jack, at least, it was an absolutely novel experience, -whatever it may have been to the others. Every time they glanced down -it almost made them giddy to see the rate at which the various features -of the landscape were racing, as it were, past them. - -Of the wrecking of the pavilion by lightning they knew nothing. They -had been dazzled by the awful flash, and almost deafened by the terrible -crash which followed; but they were then already two or three hundred -yards from the scene. A minute or two later, and they were a mile or -more away; and the place itself would have been out of sight even if -they could have looked round. - -But they had no time to look round. They scarcely seemed to have time -to look ahead. No sooner did they catch sight of something--a large -building, a group of trees, or what not--in the distance, than, lo! it -seemed to make a mad rush towards them. One moment it was half a mile -away; the next it had vanished behind them. - -But it was very difficult to distinguish any individual object. - -The whole landscape beneath them was one vast blur. Cities, villages, -trees, fields, woods, streams, lakes, hills, valleys--all seemed to be -merged into a vague mass, and there was no time to single out details -before they had slipped past. - -Curiously enough--and contrary to all expectations of the two visitors -from Earth--their progress, wild and mad as it seemed when they looked -down, was serene, easy, almost quiet, when they looked up. So long as -they made no effort to stop or turn they scarcely felt any wind at all; -and so long as they could keep clear of possible obstacles in their -course by sailing over them there appeared to be no immediate danger. -Below them all was a wild, mad race amid a continuous, low, booming -roar; above, everything looked quiet, almost stationary, for the black -clouds travelled noiselessly and kept exact pace with them. - -Whether they would be able to continue to travel thus so long as the -storm should last was another matter--as also was the question of where -they were being carried. They had no control over their course, no idea -of what their ultimate destination was likely to be, no possible means -of arresting their wild career. To have ventured on a lower course, -nearer the ground, in the hope of stopping, would have meant certain -death. - -Nor could they so much as speak to one another. They were all roped -together, it is true, and this proved a very wise precaution, for -without it they would undoubtedly have quickly become separated and -hopelessly lost to one another. Malto had left plenty of rope between -each, and this was now extended to its utmost, leaving too great an -interval to permit even of shouting. They all looked to Malto--who was -in the centre--for guidance; and he conveyed his directions and advice -by signs. - -Of other fliers, or of airships of any kind, they saw none. It was the -custom to send warnings ahead in such case, and for all air-craft to -seek shelter until the storm had passed. - -The wings they had found and appropriated were a sort of -combination--that is to say, they were supplied with electric motors, -but could also be used as ordinary wings when the supply of electricity -stored in the batteries ran out, just as one can work a motor-cycle with -one's feet. At present the travellers were husbanding their power -carefully, using only just enough to keep them at what seemed to be a -safe height. - -It had been Malto's hope, when they had started, that the storm would -not continue in such fury for any length of time. But this expectation -proved to be delusive. Hour after hour passed, and still they were -carried along at a pace which would have rendered any attempt at -stopping sheer madness. Cities and towns had long disappeared; -villages, even, now seemed to be no more. The ground became hilly, and -less and less cultivated till they came upon a region which was little -more than a rocky desert. Here the hills were growing into mountains; -and some of these towered up to such a height that possible collision -with their rocky peaks became a very ugly possibility. - -Malto grew alarmed, and signalled to his companions to ascend yet -higher. Upwards they mounted accordingly, and passed into the midst of -the swirling clouds. Here they were in a thick mist, but presently, to -Malto's relief, they struck into an upper current free from cloud, and -there they entered a region of perfect calm. - -They could now even talk, and look round, and take rest of a sort. The -sun was shining, and everything was bright and cheerful. Beneath their -feet they could see nothing save great masses of sombre, heavy-looking -clouds scurrying furiously onwards. - -'Whew!' Jack uttered a long whistle of relief. 'This is a change indeed! -I began to wonder where on Earth--h'm, I mean where on Mars--we were -rushing to! Where do you suppose we 've got to? I mean, supposing we -dropped straight down, what part of your world should we be in?' He -asked the question in a general sort of way, and Malto answered him as -vaguely, by admitting frankly that he had not the least idea. - -'I confess I 've lost count of all landmarks,' he declared. 'I am very -much afraid we are now near what is known as the Great Desert. It is a -more or less waterless tract which is uninhabited, save by some roaming -tribes of wanderers who do not bear the best of characters.' - -'Ha! You have deserts, then, as we have?' said Gerald. - -Malto looked at him in surprise. - -'Why, of course; I thought everybody knew that! Fully one-third of our -globe is waterless desert, and, what is worse, the tract is gradually -extending. Our scientific men prophesy that the proportion will grow -larger and larger until the whole planet becomes a dried-up waste. That -is the cheerful sort of doom they predict for future generations!' - -'Curious, isn't it?' murmured Jack, glancing at Gerald. 'That is -exactly what our earthly scientists have prophesied as likely to happen -to Mars in the future!' - -'And to our own planet also, some day, I suppose,' Gerald rejoined. -'Only, here, I suppose, the process has gone farther than it has with -us.' - -'Well, desert or no desert, it will be better than Agrando's dungeons,' -said Jack. 'We shall have to go down into it, I suppose, when the storm -subsides? We can't stop up here indefinitely. What are we to do -meanwhile? Can't we try to work back in this upper current?' - -Malto shook his head. - -'It would probably be of very little use, and would certainly be -unwise,' he counselled. 'We have come hundreds of miles--much farther -than our whole store of electric force would carry us. If we expend it -all in trying to work back we shall be in bad case if, when we come to -the end of our store, we still find ourselves where we do not want to -be. Now, to support ourselves up here quietly will take but very little -of our reserve force, and we shall have a good stock left for -emergencies. That is my advice; in fact, that is practically all we can -do. We must wait here till the storm below has blown itself out. Then -we will go down and try to find out what country we have got into.' - -'I think you are right,' Alondra agreed. - -'It is already well on in the afternoon--judging by the sun--and we have -had nothing to eat. I 'm getting hungry!' Jack grumbled. 'Don't you -have aerial inns up in the clouds here, where storm-tossed travellers -can get a meal?' - -Needless to say, they were all hungry, but there was nothing to be done -but wait. So, to pass the time, they began to compare notes, and -Alondra related his adventure of the early morning in the pool in the -glass-house. Malto and Malandris nodded their heads significantly as -they listened. - -'Ah, there are strange tales afloat about that glass-house and the -deadly plant it shelters,' the elder man declared. 'I have never seen -it myself, but I have heard quite enough concerning it.' - -The talk went on, and an hour or two slipped by; and then, just as the -sun drew near the horizon, Malto, looking down, suddenly ventured an -opinion that the wind below had subsided. - -To test the point, they swept downwards, passed through several strata -of dense cloud, and found, sure enough, that the guess had been correct. -Below the cloud all was now almost as calm as above. There was scarcely -breeze enough to carry them along. - -They finally descended, just before sunset, in a gloomy, forbidding -valley of rocks, where there were no signs of Martian inhabitants to be -seen in any direction. They found, however, a small stream--a fact -which surprised Malto--and this enabled them to quench their thirst. -But how to obtain the wherewithal to satisfy their hunger was another -and more hopeless matter. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXIX.* - - *ATTACKED IN THE DARK.* - - -Presently Malto uttered an exclamation of surprise. He walked a short -distance up the little watercourse and examined carefully some bushes -growing on its banks. They seemed to excite both interest and pleasure. - -'I know those plants,' he explained to his companions. 'They will -provide us with a very fair and toothsome supper, and they also tell me -a story. You wished to know where we had drifted to, and I can now tell -you almost exactly. - -'This is not the Great Desert--fortunately, we have not travelled far -enough to reach that--but a tract lying upon its borders. We are in a -region situated between the desert and the country of Iraynia, which,' -he added slowly, and with some sadness in his tone, 'is my native land.' - -'Oh!' said Alondra; 'so you are a native of Iraynia! I have heard a -good deal about that country, though I have never been there. Was there -not some great fuss or trouble there some years ago, before my -father'---- - -'Before King Ivanta allowed the tyrant Agrando to annex it, would you -say? Yes, Prince, there was. And thereby hangs a tale. I will not -tell it to you now, however--it will keep for another time; but I may -say that it is a tale of terrible, almost incredible wrong, and -treachery, and wickedness. It is that great wrong which I wished to -induce King Ivanta to inquire into, in order that the memory of a good -man's name may be cleared from dishonour. That man was my father, -Prince; and that was the reward I was hoping to win from King Ivanta. -Now you will understand why I said I could not share my reward, if I -obtained what I hoped for, with any one else!' - -There were notes of deep feeling and sadness in the young fellow's voice -as he spoke in low, incisive tones, turning his face away the while as -though afraid he might break down. - -There was a pause; then Alondra said gently and sympathetically, 'I am -sorry, indeed, that you have such a heavy trouble to bear. Later on you -shall give me fuller particulars, and I will myself lay them before my -father. He is just and fearless in punishing where wrong has been done, -and if he finds, on investigation, that your story is true, I am certain -he will right you, and the memory of your father, and punish the -wrongdoers.' - -'He will have to fight to maintain his own position ere that can come -about, I fear!' rejoined Malto gravely. 'But I thank you, Prince, all -the same, for your sympathy and your promise. Another day I will, as you -say, give you the details--when the time comes. Let me now explain how -we are situated here. We are in a desolate territory known as Kubandia. -It is nothing but a maze of arid rocks and mountains, and wild, gloomy -gorges and valleys, almost waterless, but not so bad, in that respect, -as the Great Desert which lies beyond. For the reasons I have mentioned -the tract has a bad name, and also for another--that there are bands of -reckless outlaws who have made it their fastness. They are, I believe, -for the most part remnants or descendants of men who were originally -honest patriots--men who were driven into exile by Agrando's heavy hand -when he took over the government of the country. Now, I fear, they are, -most of them, no better than brigands and unscrupulous adventurers. It -is said that there are many bands, under different heads, but all -directed by one leader--a clever, daring chief, of whom wild tales are -told. His name is Fumenta; and it is a name held in terror by Agrando's -followers. But for this man's wonderful genius and bravery, it is -believed these brigands would all have been exterminated before this. -He has, somehow, managed to evade capture for many years, and carry on a -guerilla warfare, holding his own in these wild valleys and gorges in -spite of all the forces Agrando has sent against him. Such, at least, -is what we hear. I myself can say nothing as to this part from my own -knowledge, because I have been brought up in Agrando's city and forced -to be one of his servitors.' - -'Naturally, however, you cannot help feeling a certain amount of -sympathy for these outlaws, who are your own countrymen, and who have -been driven, as you think, perhaps unjustly, into exile, eh?' queried -Alondra, eying the other keenly. - -'It may be so--deep down in my mind,' was the quiet answer. 'Certainly, -however, I have no sympathy with tales of robbery and murder such as are -related of these bands. But, of course, they may not be true, or they -may be very much exaggerated. We only hear one side, that told by -Agrando's people; and from my own experience I can tell you that it is -not safe to believe all they assert.' - -'But how do you know where we are, if, as you say, you only know of all -these things by hearsay?' was Alondra's shrewd query. - -'Oh, I have been in these parts before as a boy, and I know that those -plants yonder are peculiar to this region. You do not find them -anywhere else.' - -'I see. Well, if they are good to eat, let us try them as soon as we -can. For my part, I am hungry enough to devour anything that is fairly -eatable.' - -'We must have a fire. It is the root which is good to eat; and it -requires cooking,' Malto returned. 'I have dug these roots up and -cooked them many times when picnicking out here with other youngsters. -If you others will get some wood together, and start a fire, I will soon -have a first-rate supper ready for you.' - -The young fellow proved as good as his word, and some half-hour later, -just as darkness fell, they were all sitting round a cheerful fire, -discussing a very agreeable meal off something which had a flavour not -unlike baked potatoes. - -'Humph! Not a bad thing to fall back upon in a wilderness like this!' -Jack declared. 'And what are we going to do afterwards? How are we to -get back to our friends?' - -'That is not easy to say,' Malto answered soberly. 'We must have passed -right over my country to get here, and that alone means two or three -hundred miles. It is a land which is full of Agrando's followers, and -you may be sure that his airships will, by this time, be cruising about -in search of us.' - -'That sounds cheerful! Looks as if we shall have to stay here and do a -bit of outlaw business on our own account!' cried Jack. - -Malandris glanced at him with a very grave expression in his eyes. -'Your remark exactly describes the position, young sir, though spoken, -doubtless, half in jest. I am sorry to have to say it, for it is not a -trifling matter. For myself, I accept it as preferable to the fate from -which you all so pluckily aided to rescue me. But it grieves me that I -should live to see the son of the good and wise King Ivanta in the -position of a hunted fugitive!' - -Alondra started and flushed up at these plain words. But there was in -the elder man's eyes a look so thoroughly honest and kindly that it was -impossible to take offence. - -'Perhaps such an experience will do me no harm,' he answered, after a -minute's thought. 'That is, provided it ends in the right way. It is -better than passing the time in Agrando's palace as his captive. My -father is sure to rescue us in his own good time. He will follow us up -and find us out, wherever we are, and the punishment he will inflict on -his daring enemies will be terrible. Does Agrando hug to himself the -notion that he can pit himself against his overlord?' Alondra continued, -with a proud curl of his lip. 'Why, where is his fleet? What means has -he of resisting my father's power?' - -'He has been making secret preparations ever since his return from his -trip to the evening star. I feel sure of that!' Malto declared. - -'Why don't you try a wireless message?' Jack asked of Alondra. - -The young prince shook his head. 'It is useless. The little instrument -you saw does not carry far enough,' he explained. 'Monck Affelda cannot -hear me unless he is within a hundred miles. But you may be sure of one -thing, the news of all that has happened has before this been flashed -through to my father, and he is already on his way to our assistance in -the _Ivenia_. How can Agrando think he can prevail in the end against -such a monster of the skies as the _Ivenia_?' - -As he spoke these words there was a sudden illumination of the spot -where they were sitting round their fire, and the sound of voices was -heard. Lights were flashed upon them from the air above, dazzling their -eyes and rendering it impossible to make out what had happened or who -the speakers were. But the words were unmistakable; some one had called -out in harsh, hoarse tones, 'Surrender! You are my prisoners! If you -make any attempt at resistance you are all dead men!' - - - - - *CHAPTER XXX.* - - *CAPTURED.* - - -When the ominous summons to surrender was heard, shouted down from some -invisible person in the air above them, it was Malto who took upon -himself to reply. - -His brain had been working quickly. At first he had feared that it was -Agrando's people who had thus found them out, but a moment's reflection -convinced him that such a thing was extremely improbable. If it were -indeed so, then, such was his detestation of his late master, and horror -of again falling into his clutches, that he would rather have died -fighting than yield. - -But Agrando's men would have acted first. There would have been no -preliminary summons; they would simply have used their tridents to -render the fugitives powerless at once. The inference was that these -must be some other people who were not armed with tridents. All the -same, resistance was probably useless, as they could not even see their -adversaries, and a fight could only end in one way. So he called out, -'Who are you? And why do you threaten us? We have no quarrel with you, -whoever you are. We are peaceable folk.' - -'You will find out who we are in good time,' was the answer, given with -a grim laugh. 'Will you surrender quietly, or shall we'---- - -The speaker did not finish the sentence, but waited for an answer, as -though he considered it unnecessary to say more. - -There were other sounds, however, which had caught Malto's quick -ear--sounds as of a number of men moving about amongst the surrounding -rocks, and from these he drew the inference that the threat that had -been made was not likely to prove an idle one. - -'If we yield, what are you going to do with us?' he asked again. - -'That is for us to say. We cannot make any bargain with you,' was the -answer given roughly and impatiently. - -'Will you guarantee us good treatment? Remember, I have told you we are -peaceable folk. Have you no fear that King Agrando will call you to -account?' - -At this there was a harsh laugh. - -'We have no fear of Agrando or his ruffians,' the voice declared -jeeringly. 'You will gain nothing by appealing to him here.' - -'Then you ought to welcome us as friends instead of treating us as -enemies, for we have no more bitter foe than that same Agrando.' - -'Why,' cried another voice, 'the fellow is mocking us! Is he not -himself one of Agrando's myrmidons? He is dressed in the tyrant's -uniform--ay, and so is another I can see beside him!' - -'A man may wear another's uniform and yet be no friend of'---- Malto -began, when Malandris interrupted him. It struck him that the second -speaker was not unknown to him. - -'I ought to know that voice!' he exclaimed. 'I should recognise it among -a thousand. Surely it is Landris, who was once a friend of mine!' - -'It is Malandris,' they heard the second man then say; and there ensued -a colloquy in a low tone between the unseen speakers. Presently the -second man's voice was heard again. - -'If you are Malandris, what are you doing here? If you have come out at -the tyrant's bidding to join in hunting us down'---- - -'We are fugitives, Landris. We have run away from him, as you yourself -did once, and for the same reason--because we could put up with his -treatment no longer. He condemned me to the cage of the krudias--his -great monstrous bats--but by good chance these brave gentlemen, who are -my companions, rescued me, and we all had to flee for our lives in -consequence.' - -Again there was a conference in low tones, and what seemed to be an -argument ensued. At last the one called Landris said aloud, 'I tell you -I will have it so! I know this Malandris to be an honest man, and once -he saved my life; and I insist that he and those with him shall go -before the chief and speak for themselves.' - -'Oh, very well, if you insist!' the other replied. 'But, recollect, if -there is trouble about it, it is your doing, not mine.' - -'You will have to be bound and blindfolded, Malandris--all of you,' -Landris now said. 'I will conduct you to our leader, and you can tell -your story to him. If he believes that you speak the truth he will not -harm you--indeed, he may welcome you if so be that you care to join him -and fight against Agrando, even as he did with me.' - -'Lead us to him, friend Landris. That is all I ask,' Malandris said. - -A few moments later the fugitives found themselves in the midst of a -crowd of rough-looking men, who climbed down from the adjoining rocks, -bringing with them lanterns and pieces of rope. - -They were certainly not by any means of attractive appearance, and their -apparel was of the coarsest. Their hair and beards, too, were unkempt, -and their manners gruff and surly. But they had the appearance of -alert, hardy veterans of the wilds; and in their handling of their -prisoners there was nothing cruel or insulting. - -The one named Landris greeted Malandris with quiet friendliness, and his -companion--the one who had called upon them to surrender--also came and -conversed with the prisoners. His name, it appeared, was Duralda. He -was a fine, picturesque figure of a man, with bearded face, shaggy hair, -and dressed in what had probably once been a rich costume, but had -evidently seen its best days. This man examined and questioned each -prisoner in turn, but showed no resentment when, acting upon a hint from -Malandris, they told him civilly that they preferred to tell what they -had to tell to his chief. - -Their wings and other belongings were packed up by the band--of whom it -was now seen there were fully a hundred--and in due time the whole party -commenced a march over very difficult, rocky ground. - -At the end of some two hours a halt was called. They were then -blindfolded, and the march resumed in slow fashion, each captive being -led by two guards, one on each side. - -[Illustration: They were then blindfolded, and the march resumed.] - -This time, after ascending some steep, broken ground, they came to -steps, up which their guards assisted them. - -At length there was another halt, and a low, tumultuous murmuring sound -told them that they must have arrived in the midst of a considerable -assembly. - -Then the bandages were removed from their eyes, and they gazed round -upon a marvellous scene. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXI.* - - *AT HOME IN A VOLCANO.* - - -The prisoners found themselves in the middle of what they took to be a -vast round building, with an immense domed roof, open to the sky in the -centre. As a matter of fact, they afterwards knew it to be the interior -of the crater of an extinct volcano. - -Into the open part, one of Mars' two moons was peeping, throwing down a -warm, mellow light, very different from the pale silvery beams of our -own moon. - -But this soft radiance was lost in the bright illumination given out by -thousands of lights of some kind which were placed about within the -great dome--some round the rocky walls, others high up in the wide, -lofty roof. - -Round the sides, below, were seats, rising tier upon tier, save at one -place, where was a platform or dais, upon which were raised seats with a -canopy over them. Just in front of the highest seat stood a man of -commanding appearance, who gazed at the prisoners with a look of keen, -searching scrutiny. This man, as they afterwards learned, was the chief -of whom Malto had spoken--the one who was known as Fumenta. He was -dressed as plainly as his followers--indeed, more plainly than some of -them; but there was that in his face, in his manner, in his very pose, -which singled him out from all the rest, and proclaimed the fact that he -was their leader. - -That he must be old was apparent from the gray beard and the gray hair -which showed beneath his head-covering--a kind of helmet. His face, -too, was seamed and marked, and spoke eloquently of a life of hardship -and adventure. But his tall figure was upright and stalwart, and -exhibited no sign of failing strength; while his dark, piercing eyes -were flashing with a fire almost as of youth. - -Duralda and Landris mounted, by means of three or four steps, on to the -platform, and, after a respectful salutation, conferred in a low tone -with their leader. Meantime, those seated around--of whom there must -have been many hundreds--ceased their talk, and gazed in silence at the -prisoners. - -Presently, Fumenta turned from his henchmen, and, fixing his eagle -glance upon the captives, began to question them. 'Who are you?' he -asked. 'And what are you doing in these parts?' His voice was -sonorous, and, though stern, not unpleasing. He glanced from one to the -other, as if to mark the effect of his question upon each in turn; but -he evidently addressed himself more particularly to Malandris, who had -been pointed out by Landris. - -'We were storm-tossed travellers at the time we were captured, my lord,' -Malandris answered. 'We had lost our way. Apart from that, we were -fugitives fleeing from'---- - -Fumenta's eyes flashed and his brow grew dark. - -'I want a plain answer,' he interrupted warningly. 'You--you two--wear -Agrando's hated livery; you are evidently his servitors--some of his -myrmidons! Woe to you if you have come here to play the part of spy for -him!' - -At the mention of the words 'livery' and 'servitors,' Malto had started -and flushed. And now at the word 'spy' he seemed to lose control of -himself. He laid a hand on Malandris, as though asking that the -answering of the questions should be left to him. Then, drawing himself -up, he said haughtily, 'Though we are your prisoners, sir, I fail to see -why we should endure your insults without protest! It is true, alas! -that I have for many years been one of Agrando's servitors--ay, even his -slave, I may almost say. But I am not the first, nor the only one, of -gentle birth, who has been forced by the tyrant to serve him thus. At -last, however, I have escaped, and I only await the opportunity of -picking up some other suit of clothes to throw off for ever what you -aptly call his hated livery. If you are, indeed, as I suspect, the -chief Fumenta of whom I have heard, I have no reason for fear, for I -have been told of him that he is brave and just, an upright, chivalrous -gentleman, though he has been sorely persecuted. I have never heard, -however, that he was given to insulting his prisoners, and taunting them -with having been forced to serve a hateful tyrant.' - -Alondra, who had been engaged in 'taking stock,' so to speak, of -everything and every one around, turned and looked at Malto in surprise. -The young man had suddenly come out in a new character. He was looking -his questioner squarely in the face, his eyes flashing back glance for -glance, his whole attitude full of indignant protest. Yet was there in -it nothing of rudeness; on the contrary, even in his defiance, there was -a subtle suggestion of that deference which a young man may always pay -to age without lowering his own dignity. - -But what was even more noticeable was the fact that Fumenta himself -appeared to be just as much taken aback as Alondra had been. To the -surprise of every one there--his own people most of all--he showed no -sign of anger, and the look he cast at the speaker, shrewd, searching, -as it was, was free from all trace of irritation. There was a pause, -while he eyed the young man from head to foot. He looked at him as if -trying to read his very soul. Then, for a moment, a quick, eager -expression came into his face; but it faded again instantly, he passed -his hand over his forehead in a strange, dreamy way, and finally shook -his head. - -When he spoke again his tone was gentler. 'You are bold, young sir,' he -said. 'Few dare to speak to me as you have done. Yet if you tell the -truth your boldness will be justified, for it shall never be said that -those who have called me a just man spoke falsely. I confess I like -your spirit; you remind me of---- But it's useless now to speak of -that. What is your name?' - -'I have been known as Malto. But it is not my true name.' - -'How so?' - -'Agrando chose, for purposes of his own, that I should be called Malto -while I was yet but a boy; and I had no choice but to submit.' - -'Ha! But why, then, after serving him and submitting to him for so many -years, did you suddenly wish to leave him?' - -'Because, sir, something accidentally came to my knowledge of which I -had previously been ignorant. It is rather a long story, but I may say -briefly that I wished to make a personal appeal to King Ivanta. -Instead, however, we had to flee for our lives in the midst of the great -storm which has but just passed, and we were carried here by the high -wind.' - -'With these companions?' asked Fumenta. For the first time he seemed to -notice the prince's rich dress. Malto's personality had so attracted -his attention that for the time being he had troubled little about the -others. Now he seemed suddenly interested in Alondra. 'And who, young -sir, are you?' he queried. - -Alondra drew himself up, and proudly answered, 'My name is Alondra, son -of King Ivanta!' - -The words had a marvellous effect; they seemed to electrify the -assembly. Till then every one had been silent, content to await quietly -the result of their chief's questioning, and anxious to hear all that -was said. Now there burst out a great commotion. Every one present -sprang up in amazement. Some simply stood and stared in helpless -astonishment; some leaned forward to gaze upon the youth as though -scarcely able to believe their ears; others, again, turned to their -nearest neighbours, and began talking and gesticulating excitedly. - -Exclamations were heard, some of which gave a clue to the cause of this -excitement: 'What a piece of luck for us!' 'What a hostage!' 'Now King -Ivanta must listen to us; we can compel him!' - -It was obvious that these outlaws regarded the young prince as a great -prize--one which they meant to turn to account in negotiating with -Ivanta. - -As to Fumenta, he, it was easy to perceive, was nearly as much -astonished by the statement as were his followers. He seemed, indeed, -almost too surprised for speech, and for a few minutes exhibited some -signs of incredulity. Then, suddenly making up his mind, he bent his -head courteously, and said, 'It is a pity we did not know this sooner. -Had you told my people at first who you were, Prince, they would have -handled you a little more gently, I expect. They are rough fellows; the -life we lead has made them so.' - -'I have not complained,' said Alondra, with one of his good-natured -smiles. 'But certainly I wish now that I had spoken sooner, if it would -have been better for these friends of mine. They are my royal father's -guests, and are supposed to be under his protection. But Agrando has -suddenly revolted. We went there on a peaceful visit, and he made a -treacherous attack upon my whole party, and sought to take us -prisoners.' - -Fumenta started, while from the listening throng came loud exclamations. -Every one strained his ears in eager excitement. - -'What do you tell me?' exclaimed Fumenta, evidently utterly amazed. -'Agrando in revolt! Tried to seize you and your party! Is that, then, -the reason you are fleeing from him?' - -'Truly, we had no other course open to us, as we were situated. I -myself and these companions were cut off from my followers, and we had -to make our escape as and how we could. It was a desperate venture, as -you know, to cast ourselves loose in the air in such a storm. But it was -our only chance. Had we not taken the risk we should have been -Agrando's prisoners. I do not even now know how his traitorous attack -turned out. I don't know whether my followers have got away or have -been captured. But this I do know,' he concluded, looking round -proudly, 'there will be a heavy reckoning for all this. My father King -Ivanta will be already on his way, by this time, to look for us, and to -punish Agrando and his treacherous crew.' - -To the astonishment of Alondra and those with him, this speech was -received by the whole assembly with a great burst of cheering. Again -and again, and yet again, did it ring out. And the shouters, after -cheering themselves hoarse, pressed forward and crowded round the -'prisoners,' seeking eagerly to kiss the prince's hand, or, failing -that, to shake hands with one or another of his companions. - -Gerald and Jack found themselves suddenly treated with exuberant -friendliness by those whom they had regarded but a few minutes before as -dangerous enemies. They stared about them, bewildered, not -understanding such a sudden change. Alondra was as perplexed as the -rest, and his face showed it. - -Fumenta smiled, and proceeded to explain: 'These followers of mine, -rough fellows though they are, to whom Agrando and his tools have given -a bad name, are really honest patriots who have been driven into exile -to escape from the tyrant,' he said. 'We have fought against him, and -against his bloodthirsty followers, it is true; but otherwise we have -harmed no man. And, above all, we have no quarrel with King Ivanta, -save in so far as he had been led--by false representations, -doubtless--to espouse Agrando's cause against us. Now, therefore, that -you have told us that Agrando has revolted, my friends are delighted, -because they know it must lead to the tyrant's overthrow and to his just -punishment. As to the rest, you can command us all, Prince. Every man -here will join your standard and fight for you against Agrando. We are -ready to offer our aid, our lives, to King Ivanta. We will fight to the -death for him against that cruel monster.' - -'We will! We will!' cried the shouting crowd. 'Long live King Ivanta!' -'Long live Prince Alondra!' - -Just then a messenger entered in breathless haste, and saluting Fumenta, -spoke to him aside. - -There was a brief colloquy between the two, after which Fumenta spoke -aloud, so that all might hear: 'Some airships have been sighted in the -distance, seemingly coming this way. All lights must be extinguished.' -Then, addressing Alondra more particularly, he continued, 'There are two -squadrons, it seems; but our scouts could not tell whose ships they are. -They may carry your enemies or your friends, or a party of each, one in -chase of the other. At the same time, a thick mist is rising, as is -often the case here after such a storm as we have had, and most likely -the airships will disappear in the fog and we shall see no more of -them.' - -'But that would be a bad thing if some of them are my friends,' said -Alondra. 'Your people took charge of the motor-wings we brought with -us; let us go out in them to reconnoitre. If we meet with friends we -will all join together; but if we discover that they are enemies, and -they do not look like going away, we will return and warn you.' - -Fumenta considered for a few minutes, then answered, 'Very well; so be -it.' - -By this time all lights had been put out, and the whole vast interior -was in black darkness, save for the opening in the centre, where some -rays of moonlight were still feebly struggling through the thickening -vapours. - -Through this opening, a little later, Alondra and his companions rose, -flying like spectres on silent wings, and disappearing into the mist. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXII.* - - *IVANTA A FUGITIVE.* - - -Alondria's companions in his scouting expedition were Gerald and Jack, -Malto and the outlaw chief Fumenta, the latter having taken the place of -Malandris, who had been left behind. - -'You will want some one who knows this region as a guide, or you will -not be able to find your way through the mist,' Fumenta had pointed out. -Alondra had been prompt to recognise the wisdom of the suggestion, and -gladly accepted it. - -It seemed that these outlaws were without flying apparatus of any kind -except the roughest sort of wings. They lived the life of hunted men, -and even if they had possessed airships or other flying machines, they -were without the necessary means of utilising them. - -All kinds of air-craft required electricity to work them; which, in its -turn, as with us, required machinery to produce it. Throughout Ivanta's -dominions there were stations here and there at which passing aeronauts -could refill their storage batteries on payment of certain specified -sums. At these stations gigantic engines of immense power were ever at -work, day and night, accumulating the necessary force, and it was upon -this constant supply that all airships were dependent. When they -journeyed beyond the districts in which these stations were situated, -travellers were compelled to be careful not to venture too far -afield--no farther, that is, than they could travel back again with the -storage power on board. - -For the same reason, the outlaws had none of the usual weapons--those -tridents which wielded such strange, mysterious power; or, if they -possessed any, they were useless to them for want of the needful force. - -Throughout the inhabited portion of the planet the same state of things -prevailed. There were no small weapons other than the tridents, save -swords, spears, and the like. Nor were there any large weapons like our -cannon and big guns. Owing to their great weight, all such contrivances -had long ago been abandoned as too heavy to be carried in the air, and -as being no longer of any use on the ground. An airship depended for -its means of offence either upon ramming an adversary, or being able to -get above it, and drop upon it bombs, which, upon bursting, produced a -similar effect upon living beings around it to that of the -tridents--that is to say, they rendered them for the time being -unconscious. Thus, warfare in the air resolved itself chiefly into a -manoeuvring contest, the one which could soar uppermost, and get exactly -over its adversary, usually--other things being equal--gaining the -advantage. - -Having no machinery for the production of electricity, and consequently -no flying apparatus save the clumsy, slow wings without motors, Fumenta -and the bands of which he was chief were for the most part restricted in -their operations to nocturnal expeditions. They seldom ventured abroad -in the daytime, but remained hidden in their underground retreats. - -Fortunately for their purpose, their leader had discovered, amid the -arid wilderness of rocky mountains into which he had been driven, an -extinct volcano with an ancient crater open to the sky. Within was the -immense cavity which they had made their chief hiding-place, and running -into it from all points of the compass were endless galleries and -passages--a veritable labyrinth which extended for miles in every -direction. These led to numerous underground grottos, large and lofty -caverns, which they had turned into dwelling-places. The whole formed a -sort of subterranean town. - -Not the least remarkable thing about this retreat was the ingenious ruse -by which Fumenta had kept its existence unknown to his enemies. He had -discovered, in some of the lower galleries, considerable accumulations -of sulphur, and whenever, during the daytime, the approach of airships -was signalled by his scouts, he had sulphur fires lighted in the crater -just beneath the funnel-like opening, sending up columns of smoke and -sulphur fumes. - -As a consequence, the report had gone forth that the supposedly extinct -volcano had become active again, and its neighbourhood was shunned as -dangerous by all not in the secret. A few venturesome inquirers, who -had attempted to make explorations, had been baffled by the sulphur -fumes, and had returned declaring that there were evident signs of -renewed volcanic activity. - -Similarly, if, as sometimes happened, an occasional airship, driven out -of her course by high winds, passed near the place at night, and saw a -light coming up through the opening, it was put down to the same cause. - -These notes are necessary to explain the events which follow. - -The mist seemed to grow thicker as the adventurers sailed cautiously -onwards, and it soon became obvious that they would quickly have lost -themselves if they had not had Fumenta to guide them. He, however, -seemed to know his way about in it with as much certainty as if it had -been clear. He was aided, no doubt, by a dim radiance which struggled -down from the moon above. - -He led off to the right, mounting always upwards, till, after they had -travelled perhaps a mile, he brought them to a halt beside a towering -peak. - -'Here,' he said, in low, guarded tones, 'you had better rest for a -little time, while I reconnoitre from the top of the mountain, which -rises yet some hundreds of feet into the air. It is one of the highest -peaks about here, and these occasional ground-mists scarcely ever reach -its top. It may be that we can get a view from its summit over the top -of the mist, but at the same time we shall run some risk of being seen -ourselves. Let me, therefore, make the trial first, as I am more used -to this kind of thing than you are. I will return in a short time and -let you know the result. Do not leave this spot, and, whatever you do, -do not talk loudly. Voices travel far in this mist; you cannot tell how -near our enemies may be.' - -With that he started off, mounting silently upwards, and the four he -left behind began discussing their recent adventures, and the possible -future, in low tones. - -'So that's the great outlaw chief!' said Jack. 'What do you think of -him? I suppose he is to be trusted? I must say I am agreeably -surprised! I like his looks; yet one never knows! He might betray you, -Prince, to your enemies. How if he could buy off Agrando's hostility -that way? It might be a great temptation!' - -'I do not think he is one of that sort,' Alondra returned. - -'Nor do I,' Gerald put in. - -Malto had remained silent. He had seemed to be pondering deeply over -something. At these words from the others he suddenly woke up, as it -were, from his reverie, and spoke warmly. 'I would stake my life on his -loyalty!' he exclaimed passionately. 'He is a good man--a great man--an -upright, brave, honourable man! I feel it, I know it! But why do I -know it? Why does he rouse such a tumult of strange thoughts and ideas -in my breast? That is what has been puzzling me ever since I set eyes -on him! Have I seen him before? It seems to me that I have--must have -done so! Yet when? Where? How could it be? My head seems to go round -puzzling it out, and trying to seize upon some thought, some memory, -which I feel, but cannot put into words!' - -The others looked in surprise at this outburst. - -'Hush! We were warned to be quiet!' said Alondra. 'Our opinions are -really the same as yours. What was said was only spoken in the way of -ordinary caution. You need not take it to heart as though we were -wronging a friend of yours!' - -'A friend of mine!' Malto answered bitterly and somewhat incoherently. -'Would that I could call such a man my friend! I have no such friend in -the world! My life, since I was a boy, has been passed among deadly -enemies, who destroyed my father and brought me up as a slave! I have -ever been a child of misfortune; and now, see how ill-fortune dogs me! -I come across you, and you promise to take me to King Ivanta, to give me -the opportunity of pleading my cause with him and asking for my rights; -but what comes of it? At once treachery steps in again, and instead of -your helping me, I only lead you into trouble and fresh misfortune!' - -'Nay, it was no doing of yours,' said Alondra gently. 'Have patience, -my friend, and all will yet come right! I feel sure it will! My father -is not going to be beaten by people like Agrando and his confederates. -He will soon come to our aid and rescue us, have no fear! Then you -shall tell him your story, and he will see that right is done. -Meantime, it seems to me, we have been fortunate in meeting with -Fumenta. If he and his people are to be trusted--and I feel sure they -are--we have found useful and faithful allies, and a secure hiding-place -where we can await developments!' - -As the young prince finished, he started. While he had been speaking -the last few words there had been heard a tiny, muffled 'ting-ting,' and -now, in the surrounding stillness, it was heard still more plainly. - -'Ting--ting-ting--ting--ting!' it rang out. - -'By Jove!' exclaimed Jack, 'that's your wireless telegraph affair!' - -Alondra plunged a hand into his breast and brought out the little -instrument they had seen when they had been in the pavilion. - -He placed it on his outstretched palm, and again were heard the clear, -silvery notes of the little gongs. - -Excitedly he opened it and began to manipulate the miniature levers and -pins. - -'What did I tell you?' he breathed, in low accents. 'Said I not that my -father would be soon on his way to our assistance?' - -Just then Fumenta came gliding back like some weird, mysterious shadow. - -'Follow me,' he said, 'and I will show you a strange sight!' - -First, however, they told him the news. - -'My father King Ivanta has come to seek us,' Alondra said joyously. 'He -is not far away!' - -To their surprise the outlaw chief nodded his head and answered slowly, -'I know. But he cannot help us. He is in hiding, as we are. He cannot -aid us at present. I may, however, help him by offering him a temporary -refuge, as I have done to you.' - -Alondra turned and faced him in amazement, his eyes flashing, and his -cheeks flushing with indignation. - -'My father--in hiding? You--offering him a refuge?' he gasped. 'Sir, -have you suddenly'---- - -'Peace, my son! You speak too loudly,' rejoined the old man quietly. -'However painful it may be to you to hear it, what I have said is but -the exact truth, as I will prove to you presently. Come with me, and I -will show you something that will surprise you.' - -He commenced his upward flight as he spoke, and the others wonderingly -followed. His words had, so to speak, struck them dumb; and no one -uttered another word. - -After a few minutes' flight it grew lighter, and they could tell that -they were nearing the limits of the mist above them. Then Fumenta -stopped upon a sloping rock, and, looking round at his companions to -enjoin caution, signed to them to walk slowly up the incline. - -They obeyed, and, behold! quite suddenly their heads were above the -mist. It was almost as if they had put them up through a trap-door and -looked around. The vapours closed round them below like a mantle. They -could not see their own hands, but they could see for miles around on -every side. - -A large fleet of airships could be seen in the air above, going -restlessly backwards and forwards. The moon which our astronomers call -Phobos was throwing a rather feeble light over what seemed to be a -pinkish-white sea, which was, in reality, the surface of the mist. - -The airships were assisting the moonlight by throwing their searchlights -around in all directions, prowling to and fro, and making sudden dashes -here and there, exactly as might a swarm of huge birds of prey on the -wing seeking for food. - -'Those,' said Fumenta, indicating the airships, 'are the war-vessels of -Agrando and the allies who have joined him. They know that King Ivanta, -in his yacht--not his great "chariot of the skies," the mighty _Ivenia_, -look you--is hiding somewhere in the mist below. He must have come -hither to seek for you--why he should come in his yacht instead of the -_Ivenia_ I know not--and they have chased him here, and have lost him in -the fog!' - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXIII.* - - *A QUEER HUNT.* - - -Even as Fumenta spoke, two dark shapes rose quickly above the fleecy -vapours as though to take a cautious observation. - -Alondra and the two chums instantly recognised them as the two yachts -the _Nelda_ and the _Lokris_; but ere they could breathe a word both -craft had dived back into the fog. - -At once two or three of the hostile airships made a dart at the place -where they had appeared, and so impetuous was their rush that they -narrowly missed ramming one another. But for some reason they did not -dive after the fugitives. They were evidently averse to trusting -themselves in those foggy depths. - -Fumenta nudged his companions, and they crept down the rocky slope into -the concealment of the mist again. - -'It wouldn't do to stay up there,' he said, when they had reached what -he considered a safe distance. 'Now, Prince, if you can send a message -to your friends, will you please ask them to remain in one place till we -find them? You can explain to them that they have nothing to fear at -present; evidently their enemies do not care to hunt for them down in -the fog. They prefer to wait till it clears off, as they know it is -pretty sure to do in an hour or two. In that hour or two we must manage -to find your friends and conduct them to a place of safety.' - -'How can you do that?' asked Alondra helplessly. 'I confess I feel -bewildered. The world seems turned upside down! I could not have -believed my father would'---- He hesitated to finish the sentence. - -'My son,' said the old chief kindly, 'you may comfort yourself with the -thought that your august father is doing what he finds best in the -circumstances. Now the fox is going to aid the eagle, and hide him in -his burrow until the hunters have gone away. Then we must offer what -assistance we can in finding and regaining possession of the _Ivenia_, -from which--as I read it--King Ivanta has become separated, probably -through a trick or some fresh treachery. If we can help him to do that, -the eagle will then be able to turn on his enemies as though they were a -host of small birds, and all will be well!' - -Alondra looked fixedly for a moment at the outlaw leader, and then -impulsively seized his hand and shook it, and there were tears in his -eyes as he exclaimed, 'I don't know who you are, sir; but I know that -you are a friend in need. I shall leave it to the king my father to -thank you properly, later on; now I can only say your kindly words have -filled my heart with gratitude.' - -'Let us say no more, Prince, but set to work,' was the terse reply. - -Alondra set to work accordingly, and after some delay, succeeded in -getting into communication with his friends again. - -'My father has understood my message,' he presently said, 'and agrees to -your suggestion. They are resting on a hill-top below, and will stay -there until we get to them.' - -'Good!' observed Fumenta. 'Now, the thing is to find out where that -hill-top is.' - -'Is there any way of telling by means of that little instrument whether, -as we move about, we are getting nearer to them or farther away?' asked -Jack. 'In our world, when, as children, we played at hide-and-seek, we -used to say we were getting "cold" when we were on the wrong track, and -"hot" when we were on the right one. Now, is there any way of telling -with the help of that little contrivance whether, as we move about, we -are getting "hot" or "cold"?' - -'Why, yes, to some extent,' Alondra returned, but not without -hesitation. 'I think I shall be able to form an idea, as we go on, by -the sound it gives out. The nearer we are, the stronger the current, -and the louder the little bells ring.' - -'Exactly! That's what I was hoping for,' said Jack. 'With that to -guide us, it ought not to be such a very long business.' - -And then there began the most extraordinary hunt for the airships hidden -in the mist that can well be imagined. - -It proved to be more difficult and perplexing than the searchers had at -first thought would be the case. They went up and down, to and fro, -going too far in one direction, then turning, only soon to find that -they had travelled too far in the opposite track. It was a veritable -game of blindman's-buff, and as time went on, and Fumenta's prediction -about the mist clearing seemed likely to be realised, the seekers became -first anxious and then seriously alarmed. It was true that the sounds -given out by Alondra's wondrous little instrument varied according to -their distance from those who were signalling to them; but the -differences were so slight as to be extremely difficult to detect. - -At last, however, their perseverance was rewarded. Gerald was the first -to catch sight of what they sought. A half-smothered exclamation from -him drew the attention of the others to what seemed no more than a dark -shadow. They were all actually passing it, and in another moment or two -would have lost sight of it. But when Gerald pointed it out, Alondra -made a dart towards it, and quickly called to his companions to follow -him. - -A few minutes later they were standing on the deck of the king's yacht, -and Alondra was folded in his father's arms. - -'What has happened, father?' he asked. 'Where is the _Ivenia_?' - -'Ah, that is what I want to know!' Ivanta confessed. 'Some strange, -unforeseen occurrence--an accident, or treachery, I know not what--has -hidden her away. Thanks to the machinations of Agrando and Zuanstroom, -the whole of the people of my realm seem to have gone mad and turned -against me. For the time being, Alondra, your father is an exile, a -fugitive, with scarce a friend in the world.' - -'You have one friend, oh king!--one who has some followers you may -depend upon,' said Fumenta, stepping forward. 'If you will accept my -services'---- - -'Who are you?' the king asked, turning to him wonderingly. - -Alondra explained, and Ivanta frowned. - -'Fumenta! The one who is in rebellion against me!' he exclaimed, eying -the outlaw chief keenly and coldly. - -'Not so, oh king!' Fumenta answered, drawing himself up proudly. 'No -rebel against you have I ever been! No one can say it! But against -your vassal Agrando, yes! I have been his sworn enemy for many a year, -and not without good reason; but against you I have had no other -complaint to make than that you supported him against me. Doubtless you -were misled by false and lying misrepresentations, and had you known the -truth---- But there is no time for the discussion of such matters now. -I offer you safe asylum, not for yourself and your followers only, but -for your airships. You will find that I and all my people are loyal to -you, and will fight to the death against Agrando and his allies.' - -'But how can you hide my airships away?' asked the king doubtfully. - -'You shall soon see, oh king! Do not delay, I pray you. The mist is -already getting thinner. A little longer, and our chance will be gone.' - -Ivanta looked at Alondra, and the two conferred apart for a brief space. -Then Ivanta returned to Fumenta, and, holding out his hand, said, 'I -hear you have been a good friend to my son and his companions in the -time of their need. That is enough for me! Henceforth you are my -friends--you and all your followers.' - -Fumenta thereupon took charge of the craft as a pilot might, issuing -instructions in low tones to the officers. Under his guidance, the -_Nelda_ glided slowly through the mist, closely followed by the -_Lokris_, which had been resting a few yards away. - -Then, as they went along, Alondra asked for tidings of their friends, -and heard bad news indeed. - -Many of the party who had accompanied Alondra to Agrando's court had -been treacherously seized. - -Monck, it seemed, had got away in the _Lokris_, bringing with him the -two sailors and--somewhat curiously--Zuanstroom's nephew Freddy, who had -sought shelter with him and begged piteously not to be left behind. -These were all safe on board the other yacht. - -'But of others,' said the king, 'I am sorry to say that they are now -held as prisoners by Agrando. Aveena and several of your friends, -Alondra, are amongst them, and,' he went on, slowly and bitterly, 'most -humiliating of all, for me to have to confess it--for it seems as though -I had failed in a host's first duty--so, I am deeply pained to tell you, -is our friend Armeath.' - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXIV.* - - *A NIGHT EXPEDITION.* - - -It was getting near dawn, and the mist was perceptibly clearing away, -when the two air-yachts approached the great funnel-shaped opening -leading down to the ancient volcano. - -Ivanta, who had been wondering how Fumenta was going to keep the promise -he had made that he would hide the airships away, looked with great -curiosity at the dark, uninviting cavity. - -'Are we to try to squeeze in there, friend Fumenta?' he asked. 'Is that -your idea?' - -For answer the outlaw asked what was the length of the larger of the two -vessels, and Ivanta gave him the measurement upon the Martian scale. - -'I thought so. Then there is room,' he declared. - -And so it turned out. By means of a little manoeuvring, the two vessels -were induced to sink slowly through the opening, without touching the -sides. And when once through the funnel there was plenty of room for -them in the great dome-like space below to rest, all upstanding, on the -ground. - -Then, upon some metal staging round the base of the funnel, high up in -the domed roof, fires were lighted, and upon them, after a time, when -they had started a sufficient draught, quantities of sulphur were -thrown. - -The draught was so great from the maze of underground galleries that all -the fumes were carried up into the sky, while below the air was fresh -and pure. - -'There!' said Fumenta, in well-satisfied tones, when all was in working -order, 'those sulphur fumes are carried thousands of feet up into the -air. That I know to be the fact, because I have been up to make sure. -No airships will come near us--they cannot do so without running the -risk of asphyxiating every soul on board!' - -King Ivanta laughed good-humouredly. His was just the nature to -appreciate a clever scientific stratagem such as he saw this was. - -'Fumenta, you are a man after my own heart!' he cried. 'I love a man -who can use his brains and bend adverse circumstances to his will! You -and I ought to have been acquainted before. I can see you have the -capacity for ruling, by the way you have drilled and disciplined those -ragged followers of yours. By the stars, I would have made you a king!' - -'Perhaps I have been nearer to that than you think, King Ivanta,' was -the unexpected answer. - -Ivanta started and eyed him searchingly. He frowned and puckered his -lips, and seemed to be thinking deeply. - -'It almost seems to me that we have met before, and that I ought to know -who you are,' he mused. 'Yet I don't see how such a thing could be.' - -'Let us speak of the present and the future, oh king!' returned Fumenta, -evidently desirous of changing the subject. 'What are your plans, sir?' - -'My friend, I have not yet formed any. Until I know where my great -airship is I am tied down, I fear me, to playing a waiting game. It is -a strange experience for one like myself, Fumenta,' he went on -philosophically, 'to find one's self a fugitive. I, who have solved the -great problem of navigating space itself, who have visited distant -planets, have been outwitted by men of grovelling instincts like Agrando -and Zuanstroom; tricked, deceived, betrayed, and driven to welcome the -protection and hospitality of outlaws!' - -'Of outlaws, truly, but not of criminals, King Ivanta,' Fumenta answered -firmly. 'All my followers are honest men, patriots, honourable fighters -for their own and their country's rights, though their manner of life -has made them rough and perhaps somewhat soured. Now, sir, let me make -a suggestion. In Iraynia I have a much larger following than I have -here. Let us go and show ourselves together there, and I warrant you -the whole land will rise in your favour, and you will find you have at -least one country loyal to you.' - -Ivanta looked curiously at the old man, and hesitated. - -'But we have need of airships,' he said. - -'They have them.' - -'And--the sinews of war--money--gold, my friend, gold! My -treasure-house is by this time in the hands of my foes. Not only that, -but they have in their control the fascination of diamonds too. But -that would not matter so much if I had my own treasury. Without gold, -even a king is helpless, my friend. We can do nothing without gold.' - -'That I can supply also,' was the startling reply, made quite quietly, -and without the least resemblance of boastfulness. - -Again Ivanta started, and this time his keen eyes scrutinised the -other's face as if doubtful whether he were a madman or a magician. -Suddenly he inclined his head and said, 'That your statement astonished -me I need scarcely say. As, however, you have performed all that you -promised thus far, I will not pay you so poor a compliment as to doubt -you in this. Well, now then, since you say you have plenty of gold, -there is only one other thing necessary--machinery. Airships are of no -use without a supply-station.' - -'We will seize one,' answered the outlaw chief, with unexpected -decision. 'Lend me your yacht and your outfit, and I will undertake to -seize one of Agrando's chief power-stations. It is, as I happen to -know, weakly held just now. But when we have captured it I will show -you how you can defend it against the whole strength of your enemies. -It is now daylight. The airships prowling around above us will draw off -during the day when they find you have disappeared; and at night I will -guide you to the place I have told you of, and we will seize it and hold -it for you.' - -'If you do that, Fumenta, you shall be made'---- - -But the old chief held up his hand. 'I am asking for no reward, oh -king--or, at least, none of the kind you have in your mind. I have -lived a hard, adventurous life, and am now getting old. Those I loved -are dead, and I have none to care for, and no ambition for myself. I -may, however, ask for some recognition in another form; one which, when -the time comes, it will give you no trouble, cost you nothing, to grant. -I crave your permission to keep my own counsel, and say no more in the -meanwhile.' - -'So be it, my friend,' said the king, simply and kindly. 'I have no -desire to inquire into your secrets before you are ready to reveal them -to me freely and of your own accord.' - -Thus was the compact made between these two, who, but a few days before -had seemed so far apart--the great and powerful king, who had then been -a ruler over more than half the planet, and the outlaw leader, who led -the life of the hunted, and lived in burrows 'like a fox.' - -While this talk was taking place the chums and Alondra were comparing -notes with Monck and the two sailors. - -'We've seen some queer sort o' fightin', Mr Gerald, since we lost sight -o' you,' said Tom Clinch. 'The catamounts played every scurvy trick they -could think of against us! But me and Bob Reid and Mr Monck, we give -'em as good as they brought, and we scraped through and got away -somehow.' - -'Yes, but without Mr Armeath,' said Gerald sadly. 'I am not reproaching -you,' he hastened to add, 'but I am terribly anxious about him. Will -they harm him, do you think, Mr Monck? Why should they? He has nothing -to do with this upset between King Ivanta and Agrando!' - -'Well,' said Monck thoughtfully, 'Agrando and Zuanstroom have gone off -to Ivenia, taking Kazzaro with them. They will have their hands pretty -full for the present, at any rate, with organising their forces and -establishing their position, not to mention the question of seizing and -dividing out the diamonds. They have left Mr Armeath a prisoner behind -them, and I do not suppose he is in any personal danger so long as they -are absent.' - -'That is some little comfort, though not much,' muttered Jack. 'If we -could but find some way to get at him and rescue him from those brutes -while they are away!' - -'Just what I was thinking of,' said Alondra. 'If my father would allow -me to take out my yacht, we might make a dash in the night, you know, -eh? She and the _Nelda_ are the two fastest fliers in the whole world, -except the _Ivenia_. What think you, Monck Affelda? There are others -of our friends, too, you know--Aveena, and nearly a dozen besides, I -hear.' - -'We will see, Prince. I will speak to the king about it, and if his -consent can be gained I am quite ready to join in a forlorn hope of the -sort on the chance of rescuing our friends.' - -When, however, Ivanta was asked to sanction the 'forlorn hope,' he said -they must wait first to see the result of the expedition Fumenta had -planned, for which the services of both yachts would be required. So, -for the moment, the one enterprise had to give place to the other. - -The day was passed in telling one another their adventures on both -sides. Scouts came in at intervals and reported the movement of the -hostile airships. Some of the latter hovered about for some hours after -daylight had come and the mist had cleared, as though half-suspicious -that some trick had been played upon them. They even made a -half-hearted attempt to approach the column of smoke which ascended -steadily from the mouth of the 'volcano.' But the smell of suffocating -sulphur fumes was so strong that they came to the conclusion it would be -safer to give the place a wide berth. - -Soon afterwards they divided into two parties, one returning by the way -they had come, while the other went off in the direction of the -waterless desert, to which they finally concluded the fugitives must -somehow have managed to flee. - -Towards evening the fires were extinguished in readiness for the -departure of the yachts, and the interior of the old crater was filled -with Fumenta's followers, who were paraded in honour of Ivanta. - -'I need not call for volunteers, King Ivanta,' said their chief. 'Every -man is ready and willing to serve you! Select what men you have room -for, and the rest will remain here awaiting your commands. All are -ready to fight for you to the death.--Say, my men, is it not so?' - -The great vaulted roof rang with the cheers and shouts which went up in -response to this appeal. - -'Long live King Ivanta!' 'Long live Prince Alondra!' was heard on all -sides. - -King Ivanta could not listen to their greetings given so heartily in his -present circumstances without emotion. 'My children,' he said, 'your -proffered devotion has touched my heart! That you are trustworthy and -brave I feel assured; and I cannot quarrel with Destiny when, in my -greatest need, it sends me such sturdy supporters.' - -As soon as it was quite dark the party of hardy adventurers set out in -the two yachts, Fumenta acting again as pilot on board the _Nelda_. -Alondra was in charge of his own craft; and he had with him Gerald and -Jack, Monck, the two sailors, and Malto and Malandris. Their young -charge Freddy was left behind, with a couple of attendants to look after -him. - -During the day Alondra had presented Malto to Ivanta, and explained that -he had some request to prefer; but Malto discreetly asked permission to -defer it to a more suitable season, and so the matter had dropped. - -The two craft glided swiftly onwards for some hours over a country which -showed no signs of being inhabited. Then a few lights were seen here -and there, telling of scattered villages, and at last a cluster of -lights indicated that they were approaching a large town. - -While yet some distance away, Fumenta called a halt, and at his request -the king ordered a small airship to be got out which acted the part -which a steam pinnace fulfils in regard to one of our men-of-war. - -Ivanta, with Arelda and Abralda, two of his officers, entered this with -Fumenta, and they dropped gently and silently down through the air, and -landed on the ground near a large building which stood alone on the -outskirts of the town. - -From the town itself came the hum and low murmur of many people. - -Fumenta gave a curious signal, which sounded like the cry of some bird -of the night. At first there was no response, but after it had been -twice repeated, a door in the building opened, and a figure came out, -closed it, and advanced cautiously towards them. - -There were further signs and countersigns given and received on both -sides, and then the stranger spoke. 'Is it the Chief?' he asked. - -'It is the Chief,' Fumenta replied. 'You have heard the news, and know -that the hour has come? Is all prepared?' - -'All is prepared, Chief,' answered the man, saluting. 'We have had -everything ready and waiting for you since the news came; for we thought -that you might be here to-night. Do you wish to speak to the men before -we start?' - -'Yes. I have with me some one they will be very surprised to see. Lead -the way.' - -With another salute, the man turned and led the way towards the door -from which he had just emerged. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXV.* - - *HOW IVANTA GAINED A FLEET.* - - -Fumenta and those with him passed through the doorway into a spacious, -well-lighted vestibule, in which other doors could be seen leading to -the interior of the building. In particular, there were two large ones -in the centre immediately opposite to that by which they had entered. -These were evidently very jealously guarded, for at the entrance of the -strangers some armed men, who had been standing in front of them, -advanced in a rather threatening manner. - -The one who had gone out to meet Fumenta and had brought him in, spoke -to the officer in charge of these guards. - -'Throw open the doors, friend Medro. It is the Chief.' - -'The Chief! And who besides, good Lymento?' asked the officer -cautiously. - -'One for whom I will be answerable,' answered Fumenta brusquely. 'Waste -not time in idle talk. This will be a critical night for us; and we have -no time to lose.' - -Without other reply than a salute, the officer turned on his heel and -ordered his men to throw open the doors. And as they fell back he -advanced and cried in sonorous tones, 'Friends all, the Chief!' - -Fumenta stepped past him, conducting Ivanta, and called out in ringing -accents, 'And with him the King! Friends, I bring into your midst King -Ivanta. He has been deserted by those he trusted. He is, indeed, -actually now being hunted by those upon whom he has conferred benefits, -and stands at the present moment in sore need of trustworthy friends. I -assured him he would find them here. Tell me, have I promised aright?' - -Before them was a great hall filled with people in varied dresses, as -though they had been brought together from many different parts. There -were ragged, rough, but stalwart men, very much of the style of -Fumenta's followers; and there were others, both soldiers and civilians, -of different grades, some plainly, some richly dressed. - -It was, in fact, a meeting gathered from far and near of those of the -inhabitants of Iraynia who had secretly sympathised with Fumenta and his -outlaws, and who had been hoping for, almost expecting, some such 'burst -up' as had now taken place between Agrando and Ivanta. And they had -been secretly planning to rise, when that time arrived, against Agrando -themselves, and endeavour to throw off his yoke once and for all. - -But they had not exactly expected what had actually happened. King -Ivanta had always wielded such power, and had shown himself so strong, -that the possibility of his ever being in his present position had never -entered into their calculations. Consequently, Fumenta's words fell upon -the assembly almost as a bombshell might have done--that is to say, with -a temporarily stunning effect. - -For a space there was silence--a dead silence, which seemed at first to -be chilling, irresponsive. Then suddenly some one in the body of the -hall jumped up and shouted, 'We have no quarrel with King Ivanta. We -are ready to help him against Agrando! Fumenta, you have done well to -tell the king that in his present difficulty he will find friends here.' - -At once others seized the cue, and hastened to declare their approval of -the words spoken. A few moments more, and the scene at Fumenta's -stronghold was being repeated here. - -'Long live King Ivanta!' was the cry which was taken up on all sides, -and repeated till the roof shook. - -Fumenta turned to Ivanta with a slight smile upon his usually -hard-grained visage. 'You hear, oh king! These are the men of Iraynia! -You see that I did not act without reason in bringing you here. All -these will be henceforth your followers, and they, again, have more--a -thousand times more--at their backs, who will flock to us as soon as the -news spreads.' - -Ivanta was visibly affected. Never in his life till this day had he -known what it meant to stand in need of a few true friends. He who had -led conquering armies, and had listened to the acclamations of vast -multitudes representing nearly half the nations of the planet, and -received the homage of their rulers as his vassals--he was now listening -with gladness and gratitude to the kindly welcome of those whom he -had--unknowingly, it is true--treated with injustice, and allowed -Agrando to tyrannise over! - -He now addressed them, telling them in simple but dignified language how -he thanked them all for their welcome; and after a brief conference with -their chiefs he gladly agreed to their request that he should become -their leader himself, and for the future take the direction of the -operations they had planned. - -Then they conducted him to a large enclosure where a number of airships -were lying. - -'These we seized immediately we heard the news of Agrando's revolt,' -Lymento explained. 'Their crews we made prisoners, and they are under -lock and key. What we now need is a storage station to keep these craft -supplied with electricity. They have enough reserve power to last a day -or two, but not longer.' - -'That station we can seize this very night,' Fumenta again declared. -'It is at a place called Crudia, some two hours' journey from here, and, -as I have already said, I happen to know that it is at the present -moment weakly held. But we have no time to lose, for one of the first -things Agrando will do will doubtless be to reinforce the garrison as a -precaution. Extra men and airships may even now be on their way there, -so if we desire to get there first we must hasten. Which of these -airships will you choose, sir, to sail in yourself?' - -Rapidly Fumenta ran over the list of their sizes and special -characteristics. At the end of it, Ivanta decided that he would keep to -his own yacht. - -'My two yachts,' he reminded his new friends, 'are, with the exception -of my great vessel, the _Ivenia_, the fastest craft in the world. When -they cannot fight they can always run away,' he went on meaningly. 'It -may sound strange, perhaps, to some of you to hear me talk thus of -running away; but there are others doubtless among you who will -understand my meaning. Of late years you have not seen much fighting in -the air, but you may nevertheless be aware that in such warfare -swiftness and quick manoeuvring often count for as much as size and -numbers.' - -The cheers which greeted this speech showed that his words were -understood and their meaning appreciated; and the few remaining -preparations were quickly completed. - -Half an hour later Ivanta and Alondra, in their respective yachts, -sailed off at the head of a strong squadron of airships, all filled with -crews of enthusiastic followers. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXVI.* - - *THE OLD WELL.* - - -Like weird, gigantic night-birds the fleet of flying craft sailed -onwards through the night. The two moons of Mars--to which our -astronomers have given the names of Deimos and Phobos--were just then in -sight at the same time. The former was near to setting, while the -latter had but just risen. Together they were throwing a faint, mellow -light over the landscape, dimly illuminating hill and dale, rocky height -and sombre valley, slumbering villages and isolated dwellings, as they -seemed to slip away beneath the swift, silent airships. - -Alondra was busy on board his yacht serving out tridents and shields and -other necessary articles. - -'You are forgetting me, Prince,' Jack presently observed, after -patiently waiting some time, and finding that he had been left out in -the distribution. - -'And me,' Gerald put in. 'What have we done, friend Alondra, that we -should be left out?' - -Alondra looked perplexed. - -'Well, you see,' he said hesitatingly, 'you are our guests. It is not -fair to you to call upon you to take part in our quarrels, or help in -fighting our battles.' - -'Pooh, what nonsense!' exclaimed Jack. 'Why, what new idea is this? -You did not talk like it in the pavilion, when we had to defend -ourselves.' - -'Because there was no help for it. My followers were far away, and we -had to do the best we could. Here it is we who are going out to make an -attack, and'---- - -'And we are going to join and help all we can,' Jack declared stoutly. -'Your quarrel is ours. Please say no more, but give us our share of your -arms--or would you prefer that we should trust to our pistols?' - -'Better have our usual weapons, if you are determined, and keep your own -as a reserve,' Alondra decided. - -And so it was settled; and not only the two chums, but Clinch and -Reid--who had, during their visit, learned the use of the Martian -weapons--were duly fitted out after the fashion of the rest of Ivanta's -following. - -As they proceeded, the exact direction and other necessary instructions -were signalled from the leading yacht by means of curious devices in -coloured points of light, which appeared from time to time like tiny -coloured fireworks upon the masts. - -After a run of a couple of hours, a halt was called, and Alondra was -signalled to come alongside the king's yacht. - -One moon had set, and the other had become obscured by clouds. The -landscape was now in shadow, and the squadron was almost invisible from -below; for, save the occasional twinkling of the signals, the flying -craft showed no lights. - -'The place we are going to attack,' Ivanta explained, when the leaders -had been assembled in his cabin, 'may be, as our friend Fumenta -declares, weakly held so far as the number of the garrison is concerned, -but in other respects it is a most difficult place to assail. No one -should know this better than I,' he continued, a little bitterly, -'because I myself designed the fortress and its defences. I knew that -it lay in a very exposed region, where it would be difficult to keep a -large garrison, and where a surprise might at any time be attempted. So -I did everything that my ingenuity could devise to render it practically -impregnable.' - -'I know all that to be true, sir,' observed Fumenta quietly. - -'It is neither more nor less than a great cavern--or, rather, series of -caverns--in the side of a precipitous mountain,' Ivanta went on. 'One -can neither approach it nor leave it except by flying-machine. There is -no path, no ledge, which anything but a fly could cling to. There is -only one defensive wall--that which closes the outer side of the -caverns--and this has been so built in as to resemble a continuation of -the precipice. One cannot tell by looking which is the natural rock and -which is the artificial stone wall. There are gates, or rather iron -doors, and these are specially defended by being connected with the -electric storage batteries. When the current is turned on--as is -supposed always to be the case at night, or when the doors are not in -actual use--it is death to any one who touches them.' - -'All that I know, oh king!' said Fumenta. 'There is also an underground -waterfall--an immense body of water ever tumbling through the great -caverns.' - -'Yes. It works the engines which collect and store the electric power.' - -'Exactly; and it cannot be used for any other purpose. It is of no use, -for instance, for drinking purposes, because the water has a -disagreeable, brackish taste. Therefore, there is a well of fresh -water. Is it not so, sir?' - -'True,' returned Ivanta, eying him keenly. 'But what of that?' - -'That well was made by boring downwards till a stream of pure water was -found. When this was met with it rushed into the bottom of the well and -found its own way out, thus affording an ample supply for the garrison -without further trouble. So no one bothered himself further about it as -to whence the stream came or whither it went. But all that was many -years ago. Since then, however, this fresh-water stream has been -gradually drying up; and now there is not enough to supply the people on -guard there. That is one reason why the garrison is now so small. Then -another well was bored in another part, which gave a sufficient supply -for the reduced garrison, and the very existence of the first well was -almost forgotten. But where the stream once ran there is now an -underground passage or tunnel, which starts from a grotto high up in -another part of the mountain.' - -Ivanto started. - -'Say you so? Are you sure?' he exclaimed. - -'Certain am I of what I say, oh king! No one seems to have noted that -the drying up of this stream has opened a back way, so to speak, into -the stronghold, which renders it possible to attack it by a surprise -visit. No one seems to have troubled about it, or to have made it his -business to report that so simple a fact has rendered useless all the -work and time and trouble expended upon your elaborate defences.' - -At this Ivanta frowned a little; then a smile passed over his -countenance, and he cried, 'Said I not that you were a man after my own -heart, friend Fumenta? Of a truth, the next time I design a fortress I -shall ask you to look at my plan, and tell me of all its weak points -before I carry it out. But this seems to happen most fortunately for -us. Do you mean to say we can make our way in by the channel of that -dried-up watercourse? Can you guide us to it?' - -'That is my plan. It is a very simple one, after all,' returned the -outlaw chief modestly; 'but I think you will find that it will suffice -for our purpose. I suggest that you send out two parties, one to attack -the place in front, while I will guide the rest, so that they can creep -in by the route I have indicated. The other party must show no sign -till we have gained the interior and manipulated the levers which cut -off the electric current from the doorways. Then they can make a dash -and help us to overpower the garrison.' - -'And thus easily,' murmured Ivanta, with, a sigh--'thus simply are all -my elaborate and complicated defences to be set at nought and -overcome--laughed at, in fact! However, so be it! 'Tis a good plan; -and if it succeeds, the possession of such a stronghold, with its -machinery and underground waterfall, will be a piece of good fortune -indeed.' - -'And we will take good care,' said Alondra, laughing, 'to have that back -entrance well guarded in future. Now, I want to be one of your party, -friend Fumenta. That will suit me better than waiting about with the -rest till some one else, having done all the fighting, opens the door to -us.' - -At this Gerald and Jack and their party asked to be allowed to go with -Alondra, and pressed their claims so eagerly that at last Ivanta -acceded. - -'I shall myself make one,' he said. 'And since you so much desire it, -you shall all join.' - -Later on, the fleet of airships divided into two bodies, and one, the -smaller portion, made direct for the heights of the mountain in which -the stronghold was situated. The rest were to wait about till the time -should come for making their presence known by a direct frontal attack. - -Fumenta led his section into a small cave, which opened out, first into -a gallery, and then into a spacious grotto. All were provided with -small glow-lamps, ropes, metal staples for climbing, and other -requisites, in addition to their arms, which consisted of tridents, -shields, and the usual swords or spears. - -The grotto had several galleries running out of it, and selecting one of -these, Fumenta followed its windings for some distance, till he came to -a small stream running into a deep cutting. A little farther on, this -little watercourse took a sudden turn and disappeared into a hole on the -left. - -'That,' said the outlaw chief, 'is all that is left of the stream which -formerly completely filled the tunnel it here plunges into. Nowadays -you can walk along its bed and the water will not in any place reach to -your knees.' - -'How do you know?' Ivanta asked. - -'I have traversed the whole distance,' was the answer. 'I even climbed -up the sides of the well to see whether it was fenced off in any way, -and I found it quite open. Moreover, the place where I emerged was -empty and deserted. One could see it is never used now.' - -Fumenta then directed that some of the tridents and shields should be -tied into bundles, and these were given to bearers to carry on their -shoulders clear of the water. By this means the leading adventurers -were left free to climb the sides of the well and attach ropes, which -could then be utilised, first to pull up the bundles, and afterwards to -assist the ascent of the rest of the party. - -These details having been duly arranged, they entered the waterway in -twos and threes, wading in the water, which at first reached nearly to -their knees, but became much more shallow as they proceeded. - -Presently those in front arrived at the well and halted, the others -crowding up as closely as they could get, some passing into the waterway -on the farther side, where they stood awaiting orders. - -Fumenta and his lieutenants, Duralda and Landris, began the ascent, -pushing iron staples into the chalk sides to assist those who came after -them. Behind them followed Malto, Malandris, and others. Upon another -side of the well Ivanta and Alondra, with the two chums and the sailors, -imitated this operation. All worked in perfect silence, and almost in -darkness, only the carefully screened gleams from their glow-lamps being -visible. - -The leaders reached the top in safety, and found themselves in a roomy -cavern, which was in complete darkness. No sound was to be heard; and, -satisfied that their presence was unsuspected, they secured one of the -ropes they had brought with them and threw the end down, that the -bearers below might attach their bundles to it. - -Not until they had hauled up these indispensable weapons, and had them -in their hands, could they hope, should they be discovered and attacked, -to hold the mouth of the well long enough for the body of followers -behind to climb up to their assistance. Every one lent a hand, for it -was necessary that their plan should be carried out as expeditiously as -possible. - -Tom Clinch and Bob Reid were hauling up the first bundles, when the -former, in his zeal, leaned over too far, lost his balance, and fell -headlong into the well. About half-way down, coming into collision with -one of the bundles, he managed to grip the rope, and thus saved himself -from going farther. His weight, however, broke away the cord by which -it was fastened, and sent the whole lot of tridents clattering to the -bottom, where they created a panic by falling upon the heads of the -crowd waiting there. A chorus of cries and shouts, mingled with groans -and shrieks of pain, followed, which sounds were magnified as they came -up the well as though it had been an immense speaking-trumpet, and were -echoed back from the rocky roof of the cavern. - -There followed a brief silence--deep, tense, and anxious. Then a high, -wide door swung open, the place was flooded with light, and a number of -armed men burst in and made a rush at the group gathered round the mouth -of the well. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXVII.* - - *THE FIGHT FOR THE STRONGHOLD.* - - -It was a critical moment for those of the adventurers who had gained the -top of the well. Being without tridents and shields, they were -absolutely at the mercy of any enemy who carried them. They were armed -only with swords, spears, or daggers, which were useless against the -other weapons. It seemed as though they must all inevitably, within a -few minutes, be lying at the mercy of their foes. - -A second glance, however, revealed an unexpected piece of good fortune. -Their enemies were no better armed than themselves! The members of the -garrison had dwelt in the place so long in peace and security that it -had become their habit to stack away their tridents in their stores, as -articles for which they had no use from day to day. Moreover, they knew -that their stronghold was reputed to be impregnable, and they never -dreamed of its being thus suddenly attacked. - -Hence, when the outcry arose in the cavern in which was the old disused -well, they had rushed in on the spur of the moment, wondering what the -noise could be, and armed only with those weapons which formed part of -their everyday equipment. - -Swords flashed from their scabbards on both sides, and a moment later -the two parties were engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand fight. A number -of Fumenta's people had followed him up his side of the well, while -those on the other side were hauling at their rope. Thus, for the time -being, the adversaries were about equally matched in point of numbers as -well as weapons. It was pretty certain, however, that the defenders -would be reinforced at a much greater rate than the assailants could be, -to say nothing of the fact that at any moment some of the former might -arrive on the scene bringing with them the dreaded tridents. - -Ivanta turned to Jack and Gerald, and whispered a few words at the -moment of drawing his sword. - -'You have your pistols! Try to close the door and hold it fast. That -will give us time!' - -The hint was sufficient. The two acted upon it at once, and calling to -Bob Reid to follow, they made a circuit, and avoiding the rush of the -defenders, got round to their rear. The first group passed without -noticing them, and there was no one else inside the door. But upon the -other side of it they could see another group, who were running to the -support of their friends, and two of them, who were in advance, were -carrying tridents. - -It was doubtful which would reach the door first; but two shots rang -out, and the trident-bearers dropped their weapons. They had each been -wounded in the arm. Their comrades, wondering what was wrong, and, -startled by the reports of the firearms--added to by a hundred echoes -from the rocky vault overhead--paused in their advance, and crowded -round the wounded men. - -The three near the door on the inside took advantage of their halt to -bang it to, and hastily shoot some bolts which they found upon it. - -Then they turned to ascertain how it fared with their friends, and see -what they could do to help them. - -Ivanta and Fumenta had apparently been singled out for special attack, -and each was defending himself against two or three adversaries. Both -were fighting like heroes of old, and for a brief space the two chums -paused to watch them, spellbound by the fascination of the combat. - -Fumenta was fighting as such an old war-dog might be expected to fight. -Grim, hard-visaged, and stalwart, his grizzled locks shaking at every -turn of his head, he rained blows so quickly upon his foes that two had -already fallen under them; and the others now seemed more anxious to -keep at arm's length than to trust themselves near enough to strike. - -Ivanta, on his side, was fighting not less valiantly, but in somewhat -different fashion. As Gerald subsequently expressed it, he fought 'like -the king that he was.' In his flashing glance there was nothing of the -cold gleam of hatred, bred of long experience as a hunted outcast, which -showed in the eyes of the outlaw chief. Rather was there dignified -disdain, and even something of pity for those with whom circumstances -forced him into conflict. In his whole appearance there was that which -reminded the spectators of a lion defending himself in contemptuous -fashion against the attacks of a number of curs; while Fumenta might be -likened rather to an old wolf driven to bay. - -Suddenly one of those opposed to Ivanta lowered his sword, and stepped -backward, as if in surprise, crying out loudly, 'It is the king! Down -with your swords! It is the king!' - -At this there was a general pause. The man's comrades imitated his -action, and the rest of the defending force desisted also in surprise. -Thus, for a space, there was a cessation of hostilities all round. - -'What said you, Sedla?' cried one near the speaker. 'The king! What -king? We serve Agrando! He is not here!' - -'This is Agrando's overlord, King Ivanta,' the first one answered. 'We -must not fight against him.' - -'How do you know?' 'What does it mean?' 'How can we tell?' 'How can such -a thing have come about?' such were the questions which were called out, -first from one and then from another. - -Evidently the garrison of this isolated post knew nothing as yet of -Agrando's revolt. No news of it had reached them, nor had any -messengers come from Agrando instructing them that he was now at war -with his overlord, and expected them to espouse his cause. Neither, as -it seemed, were they--with one or two exceptions--acquainted with -Ivanta's person. Of those then present, only the one who had first -spoken knew him by sight. - -Ivanta was quick to take advantage of this favourable turn. - -'It is well that you spoke,' he haughtily said. 'It explains, I suppose, -why you and your friends have attacked me. Otherwise, you would be -guilty of treason! Down with your weapons, all of you!' - -'But,' objected one who was evidently an officer, 'if you are King -Ivanta--I ask, sir, with all respect--why have you forced an entrance in -this strange fashion?' - -'And,' said another dubiously, 'how comes it that the great King Ivanta -is here attacking us hand and glove with the outlaw Fumenta and his -band--the sworn enemies of our master Agrando?' - -Ivanta smiled. - -'I can understand your perplexity, my friends. Strange things have -happened outside these walls of which I see you have as yet heard -nothing. Let your chief officers confer with me, and I will give them -the information which I see you are in need of.' - -There ensued some discussion, carried on in a low tone amongst three or -four who were the leaders of the garrison. Evidently there were -differences of opinion among them. Some were for submitting to Ivanta; -while the others, doubtful of his identity, and fearing some trick, were -for continuing the combat. - -Suddenly one of the little council broke away from the others and looked -angrily at Fumenta. - -'You may do as you please with those others!' he cried. 'That gentleman -may be King Ivanta or he may not! What is certain is that yonder old -villain is Fumenta, the leader of the outlaw bands, and I for one have -an old-standing grudge against him, which I mean to take this chance of -paying off!' - -With sudden fury and upraised hand, in which gleamed a naked dagger, he -made a rush at the one he had denounced. Fumenta had been quietly -talking to some of his people, and just then had his back to his -assailant. - -Another moment and the weapon would have been buried in his breast, when -Malto, who had been standing near, threw himself between the two. There -was a smothered exclamation, a blow, then Malto reeled back and was -caught by Malandris; while, with a cry like an enraged tiger, Fumenta -darted upon the would-be assassin. - -One hand closed upon the man's throat, and the other upon his wrist. -There was a brief, fierce struggle; then the assailant was lifted high -in the air and flung down with terrible force upon the rocky floor, -where he lay prone without a sign of life. - -[Illustration: The assailant was lifted high in the air and flung down -with terrible force.] - -Fumenta glanced round as though to challenge the man's friends to try -conclusions with him; but as no one seemed inclined to take the quarrel -upon himself, he turned to where he now saw Malto lying, supported by a -group of anxious friends. - -The young fellow was evidently badly wounded, for he had fainted, and -Malandris was engaged in trying to stanch the blood which flowed from a -wound in the breast. - -'Let me come to him! Leave him to me!' cried Fumenta. 'He offered his -life to save mine; it is my place to care for him!' - -They made way for him, and formed a circle around to guard the two from -any more treacherous attacks; while Ivanta, seeing that these events had -roused bad blood on both sides, applied himself to preventing the -threatened renewal of the fighting. - -Sedla, however, the one who had recognised Ivanta, was, fortunately, -firm in his refusal to take sides against him; and his particular -friends were content to follow his lead. Those who were for continuing -the strife thus found themselves in a minority; and, recognising this, -they sullenly submitted. - -All this time there had been much knocking and banging at the closed -door on the one side; while, on the other, men had come scrambling up -the well, adding, every moment, to the numbers of Ivanta's supporters, -and bringing with them this time the tridents which had been left below. - -Very soon Ivanta was in a position to dictate his own terms to those -present; but there was still the rest of the garrison to be considered. - -After some talk, Sedla undertook to act as negotiator with these, and -presently the door was thrown open, and he and his friends stood in the -entrance. - -It was a curious scene, that which followed. Behind Sedla, at a little -distance, was Ivanta, at the head of rank after rank of men, all armed -with their tridents and shields. On the other side of the doorway there -were again to be seen rank upon rank of the garrison, similarly armed, -and evidently ready for the fray, yet wondering what had been going on -behind the closed door, and doubtless curious to know, before they -began, who it was they were to fight, and what it was all about. - -Sedla cleverly took advantage of this natural curiosity to gain a -hearing for what he had to say, and followed it up so tactfully that he -eventually gained over the whole garrison. - -Thus was the place captured with but little actual fighting; and Ivanta -gained thereby a valuable base for the supply of his aerial fleet, as -well as a stronghold in which he and his following could find secure -refuge in case of necessity. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXVIII.* - - *A GREAT AERIAL BATTLE.* - - -Having made his dispositions within and without--taking note of the -resources now at his disposal, sending out airships as scouts, -&c.--Ivanta turned his attention to the wounded. He found Fumenta in -close attendance upon Malto, who was still lying in an almost -unconscious state; and Ivanta, who was himself well skilled in such -matters, made an examination of his wound. - -'I think he will pull round,' was his verdict. 'I shall hope yet to see -him, with you, and others of my new friends, around me at my Court at -Karendia--my "palace in the clouds."' - -Fumenta shook his head. 'I am too old--ay, and too rough and rugged -now--for Court life, sir,' he answered. 'Time was--but we must wait and -see what happens. I shall help you with might and main so long as you -need a trusty ally; after that, when you have succeeded in getting back -your own, I shall make the request which I have already prepared you -for. Then I shall ask but one favour more--the permission to withdraw -into obscurity, and pass the rest of my days in peace. But I am -meanwhile sorely concerned about this brave young fellow. I was -strangely taken with him when I first saw him, and I need not say how -that feeling has been intensified by his heroic act of bravery and -self-sacrifice. But for his devoted action I should now be lying in his -place, or more likely I should be already dead.' - -'It was truly, as you say, an act of heroism,' Ivanta declared with -emotion. 'It is passing strange that you two should be joined, as it -were, by such a link; the more so that I have understood that you each -had some special request to make to me. I shall be curious to see, when -the time comes, whether the two requests have any connection.' - -'I do not see how that could possibly be,' returned Fumenta, with -another shake of his head. 'I have never heard of him before, and he -knows no more about me. But his future, if he lives, shall be my care. -I can make him rich, wealthy--ay, I can make him one of the wealthiest -men on our globe--and I will do so out of gratitude for what he did. -For know, oh king, that I made but recently a great discovery! In one -of the passages beneath the ancient volcano I came across a gold-mine--a -veritable cave of gold! It was to that I referred when I said I could -supply you with gold to carry on your warfare with Agrando. What you do -not require I shall divide between this young man and those who have -been my faithful followers.' - -'You shall tell me more about it at another time,' rejoined Ivanta -kindly. 'As to what I shall myself require, it will, all being well, be -paid back later on; for I have no wish to make your friends' share less -than it would otherwise have been. Send me word if you notice any change -in the young man's condition,' he added, as he left to continue his -round of inspection. - -Meanwhile, the two chums and Alondra were constantly in and out asking -for news of Malto. To them the unexpected success, thus far, of their -expedition was cruelly saddened and overshadowed so long as his life was -in danger. - -'We owe him much,' Alondra declared. 'But for him we should now be -Agrando's prisoners, to a certainty.' - -'There is no doubt as to that,' Gerald agreed. 'But apart from any such -consideration, I like him immensely on his own account. I wonder who he -is? There is some mystery about him, I feel sure. Some sad event, I -fancy, must have happened to him which has thrown a blight over his -whole life.' - -'For the matter of that, to be a sort of slave to Agrando is enough to -blight anybody's life!' cried Jack warmly. 'Anyway, whoever he is, I -feel sure he is well-born. His whole manner and bearing--ay, and his -instincts, so to speak--tell you that much.' - -Thus, in low and sorrowful tones, did they speak of their wounded friend -while they waited about, anxious for bulletins. It was curious to see -what a good impression the young fellow had made upon all those who had -been his companions, even for so short a time. - -But their talk was suddenly ended, and their thoughts turned into other -channels, by news that was just then brought in that a large fleet of -airships had been descried by their aerial scouts. - -'Those who think they know,' Monck announced to Ivanta, 'declare that -Agrando himself is probably with them. They recognised the _Alsperro_, -which, as you know, sir, is the former warship which he has been using -as a yacht. She is now, I suppose, to act the part of a war-vessel once -more.' - -Fumenta, on hearing the news, hurried from the couch of the wounded -youth to confer with Ivanta. - -'The fleet which is approaching is far stronger than yours,' Ivanta -explained to him. 'You cannot hide your vessels here in the fortress, -so they must either fight or make their escape--if they can, which, as -you know, is doubtful. As they are manned by and belong to your -friends, it is fitting that I should ask you which course they will -prefer to adopt.' - -'I am for fighting at all hazards; and so will they be, I know,' -returned Fumenta, with grim determination. 'You need not put the -question to them.' - -'I am glad to hear that, since it accords with my own wishes,' was -Ivanta's answer. 'I shall take my measures at once in accordance with -your decision. But you must take charge of your fleet, and, for the -time being, do the best you can at first, as though my yachts were out -of it. They are not fitted to bear the brunt of the first attack from -heavier craft, but you will find we shall be able to render you help in -another way. We can rise higher and manoeuvre better than any airship -belonging either to you or to Agrando.' - -'So be it,' said Fumenta simply. 'We will do our best, sir, rest -assured, apart from your yachts; and if you can help us so much the -better.' - -It was the _Nelda_, the king's yacht, from which Monck had observed the -approach of the hostile squadron. She could soar so high that, by the -aid of powerful glasses, the strangers had been sighted at an immense -distance. Then, thanks to her swiftness of flight, she had carried the -news to the fortress before the foe had appeared above the horizon. - -When, an hour later, therefore, those in charge of Agrando's powerful -fleet drew near, they found a smaller squadron waiting to give them -battle. - -The oncoming fleet halted, and for a while the hostile forces remained -watching each other. Then amongst Agrando's airships there was seen the -flutter of a white flag, which on Mars, as on our own globe, is the -generally recognised sign of a desire for a parley. - -Presently a small pinnace, bearing the white emblem, came flying towards -the vessel which Fumenta had made what we should term his 'flagship'--a -large-sized craft called by the Martian equivalent for Crescent. - -As the pinnace approached, it was seen that the officer in charge of her -was Gorondo, Agrando's generalissimo. A little later he was within -speaking distance, and delivered his message, which conveyed to Fumenta -two or three pieces of information. The first was that Agrando himself -was in command of his fleet; the second, that he had somehow heard of -the outlaw's chief feat--the seizure of the Iraynian squadron; the -third, that he was still ignorant of the capture of the fortress. - -The message itself was a haughty and peremptory demand for immediate and -unconditional surrender, the bearer taking the trouble to point out that -resistance would be useless, as not only were Agrando's ships larger and -far more numerous than those opposed to him, but another fleet was on -its way to join him. Between the two, Fumenta's position would be -hopeless, more especially as he had no power-station to look to to renew -his supply of electricity. This last assertion it was which showed that -Agrando was unaware of the capture of the fortress. - -Fumenta did not enlighten him as to this, but contented himself with a -refusal to surrender, couched in terms as curt and peremptory as those -of the summons. - -With a shrug of the shoulders and a sarcastic expression of pity for the -forthcoming fate of the 'rebels,' the ambassador returned to his master. - -Both fleets then began their aerial war manoeuvres. Agrando formed his -force into two divisions--not lines, but two planes or tiers, one above -the other. Fumenta replied by forming his vessels into three similar -divisions; whereupon Agrando altered his formation to four tiers. - -Each side sent out a number of smaller craft--a kind of mosquito fleet, -consisting of different kinds of 'fliers.' Many of these were parties -of boarders, whose duty it would be to watch their opportunities and -then swarm round any of the opposing vessels which met with a mishap or -got into difficulties. - -Upon both sides the men had been already provided with 'parachute -costumes,' which would enable them to float in the air for a while in -case of disaster to their vessel, and aid them in making a safe descent -to the ground. Then a certain number were fitted out with motor-wings, -while others again had wings without motors, and all these different -classes were organised into separate groupings, just as we divide -fighting-men into various classes--such as infantry, cavalry, &c., on -land, and sailors, marines, and so on, upon the sea. - -Agrando sent up first one, then others of his craft, soaring high into -the air, with the object of getting above the enemy and dropping down -missiles upon them. But even as they mounted above their companion -vessels, similar craft were seen rising from the other side to oppose -them, and it was between these 'soarers' that the actual conflict -commenced. - -All the larger vessels on each side were provided with movable -turtle-decks or shields as a protection against missiles hurled from -above. The real danger from these, however, lay in the injury which -might be done to the upright spirals or the extended wings, thereby -crippling the manoeuvring power of the craft, or causing her to fall -headlong to the ground. - -On this account war-vessels did not depend upon one pair of wings alone, -but all were fitted with at least two pairs, and some--the biggest--with -even three or four pairs. Spare wings were also held in readiness to be -run out at any moment to take the place of those which might suffer. The -soarers, as stated, began the actual fighting with the efforts of those -on one side to get above the vessels opposed to them, and of the other -to prevent them from doing so. - -While these craft were darting to and fro, chasing each other round, now -shooting upwards, now diving to avoid a threatened collision, suddenly a -shock was heard, as two of them met in mid-air, with consequences -mutually disastrous. - -A moment or two later both vessels were falling towards the ground, -though the course followed was in each case most erratic. Just -previously they had met and remained for a brief space as though glued -together; then they flew apart, and began whirling and whizzing round in -seemingly mad fashion, like gigantic bluebottles which have singed their -wings. - -As they pursued their eccentric, irresponsible flight, darting this way -and that, now spinning round like humming-tops, now rushing through the -air like stray rockets, dangerous alike to friends and foes, each left -behind it a sort of 'trail,' which wound round and about, marking its -exact course. - -This 'trail' consisted of the members of the crews who had jumped or -been thrown off, and were now floating downwards in their parachute -dresses. - -Occasionally there were conflicts in mid-air, as individual castaways -from the two airships happened to be thrown one against another in their -descent. - -But such incidents as these were but trifles in an aerial battle; and, -since they exercised practically no effect in deciding its ultimate -issue, attracted little general notice. The main struggle would have to -be fought out between the larger craft when they came to close -quarters--a state of things which Agrando was manoeuvring to bring -about. - -Fumenta, however, by previous arrangement with Ivanta, was equally -anxious to avoid close fighting just then. Accordingly, he was -exercising every stratagem his lengthened experience could devise which -might tempt his enemies to alter their close formation and draw them on -to attack him in loose order. - -Agrando, moving slowly forward, sent out yet more boarders, armed with -tridents and shields, in readiness for the attack, and these formed -another curious feature in this strange battle-scene. - -They were towed through the air in long strings, holding on to ropes -made fast to their respective vessels, their parachute dress serving for -the most part to maintain their position, with the aid of the ropes, and -small motor-machines here and there. - -As the great array advanced, Fumenta retired--at first as though with -reluctance, then more hurriedly, till at last the retreat began to look -like the beginning of a panic-stricken flight. - -Then Agrando sent his swiftest vessels ahead, towing with them their -strings of boarders. In the excitement of pursuit some went faster than -the rest, whilst others swerved off to right or to left to outflank the -fugitives and head them back, thus creating gaps and spaces in their own -ranks. - -Meantime, where were Ivanta and his two yachts? That was the question -that was being asked by Fumenta and his trusted lieutenants, and they -asked it more anxiously as the minutes went by. - -The outlaw chief had--sorely, it must be confessed, against his own -feelings--consented to carry out a plan which involved the appearance of -ignominious flight. The old fighter did not like the role he was thus -playing; but he had promised, and he was carrying out his part. The -question was, would Ivanta arrive soon enough to carry out his part? If -he was to do so it was time he put in an appearance. - -Fumenta looked upwards and scanned the sky anxiously. Nothing was to be -seen but some rather heavy-looking clouds, which were floating with the -wind, and would shortly be overhead. - -Suddenly, in the midst of one of these clouds, two dark shadows showed. -A moment later they had taken form and burst out into the open, and then -the two yachts came swooping wildly down, with closed wings, like huge -birds stooping to strike their prey. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXIX.* - - *THE END OF THE STRUGGLE.* - - -When Ivanta, with the two yachts, had gone off, leaving Fumenta with his -fleet to face Agrando's powerful force, he had not, in reality, gone -very far. - -At first he had travelled swiftly to windward, till he met with a bank -of cloud drifting with the breeze. Then he had been content to -penetrate into it just far enough to conceal his two vessels and remain -there, floating slowly back with the cloud in the direction from which -he had come. - -Well versed in the movements of the varying currents of air and the -clouds they bore with them, he calculated that by remaining thus -inactive he would be carried back to the scene of the coming conflict -without any one suspecting his whereabouts, and that he would arrive -just about the time when he would be able to act with the best effect. - -Gerald and Jack, on board Alondra's yacht, watched from afar the -beginning of the battle. The yachts took up a station near the edge of -the cloud, just far enough from its fringe for concealment, yet not so -deep in the mist as to prevent them from watching, through powerful -glasses, all that was taking place. - -Both yachts were supplied with turtle deck-shields, and these had been -duly fitted in their places. The framework of the vessels was -constructed of ivantium, the light but marvellously hard metal which -formed the outer shell of the great aerostat, the _Ivenia_. Moreover, -the ornamental prows were solid pieces of the same metal, and thus -formed formidable rams of enormous strength. These constituted -advantages which Ivanta's fertile brain had planned to turn to good -account. - -'The practice you have had when preparing for our racing competitions,' -he pointed out to his son and the two chums, when unfolding his scheme, -'will now come in useful. What we have to do is to take the enemy by -surprise as soon as they are sufficiently scattered. You must be ready -to execute some of those daring aerial dives with which you have many -times excited the wonder and admiration of the crowds of spectators -assembled at our aerial regattas. Then they were executed merely as -feats of manoeuvring and aerial craftsmanship; now they may decide the -fate of the battle. I am going to show you youngsters my reliance upon -your nerve and steadiness by trusting you to follow my lead. It will be -a risky card to play, but if we keep our heads, and carry it through -successfully, it may mean the defeat of the whole hostile fleet and the -capture of Agrando himself--if he is there, as I believe he is!' - -'We 're ready, father!' cried Alondra. 'And you can trust Gerald and -Jack. They know how to manage the _Lokris_ now as well as I do.' - -'We'll do our best, sir!' said Gerald modestly. 'And thank you for -giving us the chance! If we can do anything towards defeating Agrando -we shall feel we are aiding in the deliverance of Mr Armeath--especially -if, as you suggest may be the case, we can capture the tyrant himself.' - -Preliminaries having been thus settled, the yachts drew apart and took -up positions in readiness for the work before them. - -Meantime, they were as yet far from the contending forces, and there was -nothing to be done, while they were drifting slowly towards them, but -observe what went on through their glasses with such patience as they -could muster. - -The two sailors were watching, too, not less eagerly than their leaders, -and their remarks and comments upon what they saw were both quaint and -original. - -'What a queer way o' fightin'!' sniffed Tom Clinch scornfully. 'No -smell o' powder, no noise o' big guns! An' look at their formation--one -lot above another, an' another above them agen an' agen! A reg'lar -four-decker business!' - -'Ay, it do seem stoopid like,' Bob Reid agreed. - -'S'pose some o' the top uns dropped, they 'd go bang on top o' them -below! Did ye ever 'ear o' sich a way o' settin' out in battle array?' - -'By Jingo, Bob, look at them there strings o' chaps bein' towed inter -battle hangin' on ter hawsers, an' swingin' an' swayin' about in the -air! Did ye ever 'ear o' the likes o' that, now?' - -Presently a signal came from the king to be in readiness, and all talk -ceased. For a while there was tense expectation, and those on board -Alondra's yacht kept their eyes upon the _Nelda_. - -Suddenly the king's yacht lurched forward with poised wings, and then -dived headlong, the wings closing as it descended. - -The spirals, working at high pressure, the flat bottom, which in itself -formed an aeroplane, aided by the fanlike stern or tail, were -sufficient, at the tremendous speed, to hold her up long enough to -effect the intended purpose, which was to force her way through the -outstretched wings of a line of the enemy's ships. - -In the line or row selected there were six vessels, one behind the -other, and the _Nelda_ passed along close to them like a whirlwind, -crashing through the wings, snapping them off like twigs, and -effectually disabling the whole line. - -Alondra followed suit, selecting for his attack other six craft in line, -and managing the operation not less adroitly. - -Both evolutions were effected with lightning-like rapidity. It seemed -but an instant before they had passed, their wings had opened, and they -had shot upwards upon the other side so quickly that they appeared only -as specks in the upper air. - -Then they turned in long, graceful curves, and came down in another -deadly plunge, selecting this time other vessels, which they served as -they had the first. - -They left behind them a trail of wrecked craft, some of which fell at -once headlong to the ground, while others spun helplessly round and -round, their remaining wings assisting to break their fall, though -unable to prevent it. - -Vainly those on board made desperate efforts to replace the broken wings -by the spare ones held in readiness. One they could have quickly -replaced; but where all on the same side had gone the task was -difficult, almost hopeless. But they were not allowed the time even to -attempt it, for Fumenta's flying airships had turned, and were now -rushing back, heading straight for their crippled enemies. They crashed -in amongst them, effectually finishing what the swifter-flying yachts -had begun. - -With Fumenta's larger craft came smaller ones, which dashed about -amongst the strings of 'boarders,' breaking them up, and hurling whole -batches to the ground. - -And still the yachts continued their deadly raids, flying to and fro -like thunderbolts, leaving everywhere in their track scenes of -indescribable confusion and panic. - -It is but fair to Agrando to say that throughout he kept his head, and -struggled hard to avert the complete defeat which threatened him. As -far as he could he huddled his vessels together for mutual support, thus -reducing the yachts' power for mischief, since they could only work on -the outside lines. - -Finally, Agrando retreated in the direction of the fortress, which he -imagined was still held by his own people. There, close to the towering -precipice, his remaining warships would be safer from the yachts' mad -rushes; and he and his chief officers, he reckoned, could in the last -resort, take refuge within and await the arrival of his second fleet. - -Great was his dismay when, on his approach to the place, he met with a -hostile reception, and realised that it had been already captured by his -foes! - -On all sides there was for him, now, nothing but disaster and defeat. -Fumenta's vessels were cruising up and down almost unopposed, capturing -here, destroying there, triumphant everywhere, save as regards the few -remaining ships with which Agrando had surrounded himself. He had -formed these into a circle, each one facing outwards, and in this way -managed for a while to keep their assailants at bay. - -Then a great shout went up from them--a loud chorus of exultation and -defiance. In the distance they had sighted the expected second fleet. - -But their rejoicings were short-lived! Far away, behind the oncoming -ships, there was visible a great mass, which it required but a second -glance to tell them was the _Ivenia_. It was evident that she was in -chase of the longed-for reinforcements, which, in fact, were in headlong -flight. They were making for the fortress, where they hoped they might -find a refuge. - -Agrando next saw the two yachts signalling to the _Ivenia_, and watched -them sail off to meet her. Then, somewhat to his surprise, the whole of -Fumenta's forces followed. But this only meant that Ivanta had called -them off in the midst of their half-finished work, contemptuously giving -his enemy an opportunity to rally his demoralised followers, if he -thought it worth while to do so. - -But Agrando knew it was not worth while. He knew that nothing could -withstand the _Ivenia_. He realised too well that he was hopelessly -beaten; that the great coup which he and the Diamond King had played for -had failed, and come to an ignominious end. - -It was now evident that, somehow or other, a few of Ivanta's devoted -followers must have regained possession of the _Ivenia_, after Agrando's -myrmidons had treacherously seized her, and had hastened to the aid of -their liege lord. For the defeated tyrant and his aiders and abetters -there was therefore nothing now left but to throw themselves upon the -mercy of the conqueror. - -This fact was, however, recognised by Agrando's followers as quickly as -by himself. With the great _Ivenia_ looming overhead, they too realised -that further fighting, or escape, would be alike impossible. They were -wise in their generation, and perceived that their best hope lay in -forcing their leader to make surrender; and this they promptly did. - -They surrounded him in a body, and under their coercion Agrando sullenly -sent out another messenger bearing the white flag. The result was that, -less than an hour later, he and his principal officers were prisoners on -board the _Ivenia_. - -Then an unpleasant discovery was made. Kazzaro was not among the -captives, and inquiry elicited the fact that, when he had perceived the -day was lost, he had slipped off in one of the fastest of Agrando's -airships. Further, it appeared that he had declared his intention of -returning to Agrando's palace. - -Thereupon, Ivanta decided to leave the completion of the arrangements on -the spot to Fumenta and his lieutenants, in whose charge he also left -the yachts. Taking Alondra and his companions on board the _Ivenia_, he -started at once in pursuit of the runaway--the cunning, cruel, crafty -old 'Ogre.' - -Fortunately, the airship in which Kazzaro had gone off broke down before -she reached her destination, and thus the chase did not prove a very -long one. Doubtless, the 'Ogre,' in his fear of pursuit, and his -impatience to wreak a last vengeance upon the hapless prisoners Agrando -had left behind, had overstrained the machinery. - -But the chase, if short, was certainly an exciting one, and afforded the -visitors from Earth an experience they had not had before--that of -seeing the _Ivenia_ put to her utmost speed through the air. Ivanta, in -his righteous anger and his determination to rescue the prisoners, sent -her rushing along almost like a comet. Had it been night, indeed, she -would certainly have seemed to leave a fiery, comet-like tail behind -her, for the tremendous, almost appalling, rate at which she tore -through the dense air caused an amount of friction which sent forth -showers of electric sparks. To a structure built of any other metal -than the marvellous ivantium it would have meant utter destruction. - -Before night the prisoners--including Mr Armeath, Aveena, and others of -Alondra's friends--had been rescued; and the 'Ogre' was safely locked up -in one of his own dungeons. - - - - - *CHAPTER XL.* - - *CONCLUSION.* - - -With the defeat and capture of Agrando and his chief confederates, the -rebellion which they had fomented ignominiously collapsed. None of -their allies in other parts of King Ivanta's empire made any serious -attempt to continue the struggle. The mere appearance of the great -_Ivenia_ was sufficient to enforce submission, as she visited in turn -each disaffected country or district. - -With characteristic energy, the victor set to work to restore complete -order, and to efface the after-effects of the general disturbance. -Thanks to the wonderful tact and discernment he brought to bear upon -this delicate task, affairs settled down far more quickly than had at -first seemed possible. It was but a few weeks ere King Ivanta returned -in triumph to his 'palace in the clouds,' again the undisputed ruler of -his vast realm, his supremacy once more unchallenged throughout his -dominions. - -Then commenced the further task of judging and punishing his vanquished -foes. This was a longer and more tedious business, involving much -journeying to and fro, and the holding of numerous local inquiries and -state trials. - -Here again King Ivanta surprised even his own friends, and heaped coals -of fire upon the heads of his enemies, by the nature of the treatment he -meted out. Firm and determined in arriving at exact facts, -discriminating in apportioning blame, he showed himself generous and -magnanimous almost to a fault in regard to punishment. Only those who, -like Agrando and Kazzaro, had been guilty of acts of deliberate cruelty -or injustice were severely dealt with; all others were let off far more -lightly than they had any right to expect. - -'I feel, my friend,' said Ivanta to Armeath, at the very beginning of -the inquiries, 'that I myself have been much to blame in ever -introducing among my people the costly toys you call diamonds and other -precious stones. In the future they shall be unknown here, even as they -were before I first visited your planet. They have been the means of -fostering greed and avarice, increasing vanity and envy, exciting evil -passions, and creating discord where peace and goodwill reigned before. -Every one--every stone, large or small--shall be collected. I will -compel my subjects to give up those they have, and I will return them, -including all that Zuanstroom brought--with Zuanstroom himself--to the -world whence they came. Henceforth I will have none of them; my -subjects--our globe--shall know them no more!' - -This reference to the Diamond King is sufficient to indicate the extreme -leniency exhibited towards even the most blameworthy of those who had -rebelled against the Martian monarch. Zuanstroom was, indeed, -imprisoned for the remainder of his visit; but no suggestion of any -severer punishment seemed to have entered King Ivanta's thoughts. And -even the imprisonment was more nominal than real; the captive's son and -nephew were allowed free access to him, and they were allowed to make -occasional excursions together, under the escort of his jailers. - -'He's being treated a jolly sight better than he deserves, and so are -many others,' observed practical-minded Jack. 'They intended to kill -him, and us too, if they had succeeded in their plans. I doubt if such -leniency will turn out to be altogether the wisest course for King -Ivanta's own security in the future.' - -'I don't agree with you, Jack. You are taking a wrong view of it. To -my mind, the king is only acting just as I should have expected him to -do,' cried Gerald enthusiastically. 'What did I always say of him, from -the very first time I set eyes upon him? I knew--yes, _knew_--something -seemed to tell me--how high-minded, how truly noble he was! I always -declared it! But at that time it was only a feeling in my mind, a sort -of instinct. Now we have before us proofs such as every one can see for -himself.-- What do you think, sir?' he added, addressing his guardian. - -'Truly, my son, your instinct in this case led you aright,' returned -Armeath, nodding his head and smiling. 'It is a goodly lesson for all -of us; a grand example, one worthy to be remembered and pondered for the -rest of our lives!' - -It was a great time for the two chums and their guardian, that which -followed. As the honoured guests of the king, and the special friends -and companions of the amiable prince his son, they travelled about -continually. Sometimes in the _Ivenia_, at others in the prince's -splendid air-yacht, they made numerous journeys; and everywhere they met -with cordial receptions from the rulers and nobles of the various -nations, visited everything that was worth seeing, and enjoyed to the -full all the varied entertainments provided for their amusement. - -One day there was a great assembly of nobles and dignitaries at the -'palace in the clouds,' the special occasion being--so it had been given -out--to do honour to some of those whom King Ivanta wished to reward. -Foremost amongst these he placed the outlaw-chief Fumenta, and the young -stranger Malto, who had now quite recovered from his wound. - -Then it was that King Ivanta made an announcement which came as a -surprise indeed. He began by calling upon Malto to declare the nature of -the request he wished to prefer. 'My dear son Prince Alondra,' the king -said, 'has never ceased to remind me again and again of the promise he -made to you, Malto. Not, indeed, that I required any such reminders; I -am far too sensible of the great service you rendered him and his two -companions, our guests, when you enabled them to escape from Agrando's -power. No, I had not forgotten! So far from forgetting, I may tell you -that I have been busily making inquiries of my own in anticipation of -what your request was likely to be. At last my vague guesses have been -completely confirmed by certain confessions made to me by those two -traitors Agrando and his creature Kazzaro. So, Malto, my friend, speak -out, and ask without fear.' - -'It concerns my father, sir--my father who died many years ago in exile, -an outcast, driven from his country at your orders, owing to the -machinations of his enemies, of whom that same Kazzaro was the chief.' - -King Ivanta nodded, and his fine features lighted up with one of his -kindliest smiles as he looked across at Fumenta. 'And you, the Fox, as -you called yourself, who befriended the fugitive Eagle, and hid him from -his enemies in your burrow; what is your request?' - -'Mine, oh king, is less unselfish than that of this persecuted young -gentleman, since it concerns myself alone. Once upon a time'---- - -'Once upon a time,' interrupted the king, 'you were known as Lufendis, -King of Iraynia.' - -Here Malto started and turned pale. He seemed to be trembling, and -stared first at the king and then at Fumenta--or Lufendis--with eyes -that were almost starting out of his head. Ivanta paused and held his -hand out towards him. - -'And you, Malto, are the son of the king whom I displaced and sent into -exile because of accusations which both Agrando and Kazzaro have now -admitted were false!'--'Lufendis! formerly King of Iraynia, henceforth -you are king not only of Iraynia but also of Sedenia, for I give to you -the position forfeited by the traitor Agrando! There, oh king, is your -son, Prince Yumalda, whom you thought to be dead; but who was really -stolen by Kazzaro and brought up to be the slave of the tyrant he -served.--Malto! or rather, Prince Yumalda! this is your father whom you -have so long mourned as dead!' - -Who shall describe the scene that followed? Who can worthily depict the -wondering delight of the father, the amazement of the son, or the -sympathetic emotions of those who stood around? Congratulations, eager, -tumultuous, poured in on all sides, Prince Alondra, Gerald, and Jack -being among the first to offer them. Then the father and son, thus -strangely reunited, retired together to talk to one another alone. - -At a later date the chums accompanied Prince Alondra and Monck on -another visit to Sedenia. This time they went as the guests of the newly -appointed King Lufendis. And there they visited again, with Prince -Yumalda and Malandris, all those places where the former, as Malto, had -so adroitly aided them in their fortunate escape from Agrando's -dungeons. There, too, they saw the wrecked pavilion, and learned for -the first time how narrowly they had avoided being buried in its ruins. - -Of Agrando, or the 'Ogre,' they saw nothing. They had already gone to -their lifelong doom--exile and imprisonment in that same dismal -wilderness in which their victim, King Lufendis, had passed so many -years as the famous outlaw-chief. - - * * * * * - -And so it came to pass that when, in due time, the wondrous aerostat -_Ivenia_ set out upon her return to Earth, she brought back with her a -larger load of treasure even than she had carried to Mars. What had -belonged to the Diamond King, Ivanta, with royal scrupulousness, -restored to him. The rest of the jewels he presented to Armeath and his -two wards, who in turn made over a share to their faithful servitors, -all thus becoming rich beyond their wildest dreams. - -At the last moment, before leaving Mars, the chums experienced a great -disappointment. They had quite expected that Prince Alondra would -accompany them; but King Ivanta firmly refused his permission. For the -present, at any rate, he said, his son must remain to represent him, and -to take his place in looking after his people. At some future time, -perhaps, things might be different. - -'That means,' Alondra whispered to Gerald and Jack, 'that he has it in -his mind to bring me to see you later on. He is thinking of going upon -a voyage of discovery to another planet, and I think I may be able to -induce him to call for you to go with us.' - -'Then,' said Gerald, 'it is not "Good-bye," but "_Au revoir;_" which, -being freely interpreted, means "Perhaps Jack and I will see you again -before very long!"' - -And perhaps they will. Who can say? The two chums, at least, firmly -believe that it will come to pass; and that they are destined to take -their part in yet other journeys through space in the company of the -genial King Ivanta and his vivacious son Alondra. - - - - THE END. - - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - - *SCIENCE FICTION* - -About, Edmond. The Man with the Broken Ear. 1872 -Allen, Grant. The British Barbarians: A Hill-Top Novel. 1895 -Arnold, Edwin L. Lieut. Gullivar Jones: His Vacation. 1905 -Ash, Fenton. A Trip to Mars. 1909 -Aubrey, Frank. A Queen of Atlantis. 1899 -Bargone, Charles (Claude Farrere, pseud.). Useless Hands. [1926] -Beale, Charles Willing. The Secret of the Earth. 1899 -Bell, Eric Temple (John Taine, pseud.). Before the Dawn. 1934 -Benson, Robert Hugh. Lord of the World. 1908 -Beresford, J. D. The Hampdenshire Wonder. 1911 -Bradshaw, William R. The Goddess of Atvatabar. 1892 -Capek, Karel. Krakatit. 1925 -Chambers, Robert W. The Gay Rebellion. 1913 -Colomb, P. et al. The Great War of 189-. 1893 -Cook, William Wallace. Adrift in the Unknown, n.d. -Cummings, Ray. The Man Who Mastered Time. 1929 -[DeMille, James]. A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder. -1888 -Dixon, Thomas. The Fall of a Nation: A Sequel to the Birth of a Nation. -1916 -England, George Allan. The Golden Blight. 1916 -Fawcett, E. Douglas. Hartmann the Anarchist. 1893 -Flammarion, Camille. Omega: The Last Days of the World. 1894 -Grant, Robert et al. The King's Men: A Tale of To-Morrow. 1884 -Grautoff, Ferdinand Heinrich (Parabellum, pseud.). Banzai! 1909 -Graves, C. L. and E. V. Lucas. The War of the Wenuses. 1898 -Greer, Tom. A Modern Daedalus. [1887] -Griffith, George. A Honeymoon in Space. 1901 -Grousset, Paschal (A. Laurie, pseud.). The Conquest of the Moon. 1894 -Haggard, H. Rider. When the World Shook. 1919 -Hernaman-Johnson, F. The Polyphemes. 1906 -Hyne, C. J. Cutcliffe. Empire of the World. [1910] -In The Future. [1875] -Jane, Fred T. The Violet Flame. 1899 -Jefferies, Richard. After London; Or, Wild England. 1885 -Le Queux, William. The Great White Queen. [1896] -London, Jack. The Scarlet Plague. 1915 -Mitchell, John Ames. Drowsy. 1917 -Morris, Ralph. The Life and Astonishing Adventures of John Daniel. -1751 -Newcomb, Simon. His Wisdom The Defender: A Story. 1900 -Paine, Albert Bigelow. The Great White Way. 1901 -Pendray, Edward (Gawain Edwards, pseud.). The Earth-Tube. 1929 -Reginald, R. and Douglas Menville. Ancestral Voices: An Anthology of -Early Science Fiction. 1974 -Russell, W. Clark. The Frozen Pirate. 2 vols. in 1. 1887 -Shiel, M. P. The Lord of the Sea. 1901 -Symmes, John Cleaves (Captain Adam Seaborn, pseud.). Symzonia. 1820 -Train, Arthur and Robert W. Wood. The Man Who Rocked the Earth. 1915 -Waterloo, Stanley. The Story of Ab: A Tale of the Time of the Cave Man. -1903 -White, Stewart E. and Samuel H. Adams. The Mystery. 1907 -Wicks, Mark. To Mars Via the Moon. 1911 -Wright, Sydney Fowler. Deluge: A Romance and Dawn. 2 vols. in 1. -1928/1929 - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A TRIP TO MARS *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44534 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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