Chapter 4

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 theIvenia.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 theIvenia, 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 theIvenialay.'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 theIveniahad 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 marvellousIveniamust 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 calledLokris, 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 theLokriswas 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 theLokriscould 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 theNelda—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 theLokrisshot 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 theLokris, 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.TheNelda, 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 victimen 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.[image]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 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 theIvenia.

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 theIvenia, 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 theIvenialay.

'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 theIveniahad 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 marvellousIveniamust 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 calledLokris, 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 theLokriswas 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 theLokriscould 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 theNelda—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 theLokrisshot 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 theLokris, 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.

TheNelda, 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 victimen 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.

[image]There was a flash of light, and a sharp, crackling sound.

[image]

[image]

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!'

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