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 flierfell 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.
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 flierfell 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.