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〃You seem to take the fate of that Hither girl of yours mightily to heart；
stranger；〃 quoth my hostess； with a touch of feminine jealousy； as she
watched my hesitation。 〃Do you know anything of her？〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered gloomily。 〃I have seen her once or twice away in
Seth。〃
〃Ah； that reminds me！ When they brought her up here from the boats
to dry her wet clothes； she cried and called in her grief for just such a one
as you； saying he alone who struck down our men at her feast could rescue
her〃
〃What！ Heru here in this room but yesterday！ How did she look？
Was she hurt？ How had they treated her？〃
My eagerness gave me away。 The woman looked at me through her
half…shut eyes a space； and then said； 〃Oh！ sits the wind in THAT quarter？
So you can love as well as eat。 I must say you are well…conditioned for a
spirit。〃
I got up and walked about the room a space； then； feeling very
friendless； and knowing no woman was ever born who was not interested
in another woman's loves； I boldly drew my hostess aside and told her
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about Heru； and that I was in pursuit of her； dwelling on the girl's gentle
helplessness； my own hare…brained adventure； and frankly asking what
sort of a sovereign Ar…hap was； what the customs of his court might be；
and whether she could suggest any means； tem… poral or spiritual； by
which he might be moved to give back Heru to her kindred。
Nor was my confidence misplaced。 The woman； as I guessed； was
touched somewhere back in her female heart by my melting love…tale； by
my anxiety and Heru's peril。 Besides； a ghost in search of a fairy ladyand
such the slender folk of Seth were still considered to be by the race which
had supplanted themthis was romance indeed。 To be brief； that good
woman proved invaluable。
She told me； firstly； that Ar…hap was believed to be away at war；
〃weekending〃 as was his custom； amongst rebellious tribes； and by
starting at once up the water； I should very probably get to the town before
he did。 Sec… ondly； she thought if I kept clear of private brawls there was
little chance of my receiving injury； from the people at all events； as they
were accustomed to strange visitors； and civil enough until they were fired
by war。 〃Sickle cold； sword hot；〃 was one of their proverbs； meaning
thereby that in peaceful times they were lambs； however lionlike they
might be in contest。
This was reassuring； but as to recovering the lady； that was another
matter over which the good woman shook her head。 It was ill coming
between Ar…hap and his tribute； she said； still； if I wanted to see Heru once
again； this was my op… portunity； and； for the rest； that chance； which often
favours the enamoured； must be my help。
Briefly； though I should probably have gone forward in any case out of
sheer obstinacy； had it been to certain destruction； this better aspect of the
situation hastened my resolution。 I thanked the woman for help； and then
the man outside was called in to advise as to the best and speediest way of
getting within earshot of his hairy sovereignty； the monarch of
Thitherland。
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CHAPTER XVI
The Martian told me of a merchant boat with ten rowers which was
going up to the capital in a couple of hours； and as the skipper was a friend
of his they would no doubt take me as supercargo； thereby saving the
necessity of passenger fees； which was obviously a consideration with me。
It was not altogether a romantic approach to the dungeon of an imprisoned
beauty； but it was practical； which is often better if not so pleasant。 So
the offer was gladly closed with； and curling myself in a rug of foxskins；
for I was tired with much walking； sailors never being good foot… gangers；
I slept soundly fill they came to tell me it was time to go on board。
The vessel was more like a canal barge than anything else； lean and
long； with the cargo piled in a ridge down the centre as farmers store their
winter turnips； the rowers sitting on either side of this plying oars like
dessert…spoons with long handles； while they chanted a monotonous
cadence of monosyllables：
Oh； ho； oh；
Oh； ho； oh；
How high； how high。
and then again after a pause
How high； how high
Oh； ho； oh；
Oh； ho； oh。
the which was infinitely sleep…provoking if not a refrain of a high
intellectual order。
I shut my eyes as we pulled away from the wharfs of that nameless
emporium and picked a passage through a crowd of quaint shipping；
wondering where I was； and asking myself whether I was mentally rising
equal to my extraordinary surroundings； whether I adequately appreci…
ated the immensity of my remove from those other seas on which I had
last travelled； tiller…ropes in hand； piloting a captain's galley from a wharf。
Good heavens； what would my comrades on my ship say if they could see
me now steer… ing a load of hairy savages up one of those waterways
which our biggest telescopes magnify but to the thickness of an indication？
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No； I was not rising equal to the oc… casion； and could not。 The human
mind is of but limited capacity after all； and such freaks of fortune are
beyond its conception。 I knew I was where I was； but I knew I should
probably never get the chance of telling of it； and that no one would ever
believe me if I did； and I re… signed myself to the inevitable with sullen
acquiescence； smothering the wonder that might have been overwhelming
in passing interests of the moment。
There is little to record of that voyage。 We passed through a fleet of
Ar…hap's warships； empty and at anchor in double line； serviceable half…
decked cutters； built of solid timber； not pumpkin rind it was pleasant to
notice； and then the town dropped away as we proceeded up a stream
about as broad as the Hudson at its widest； and profusely studded with
islands。 This water was bitterly salt and joined an… other sea on the other
side of the Martian continent。 Yet it had a pronounced flow against us
eastward； this tide running for three spring months and being followed； I
learned； as ocean temperatures varied； by a flow in the opposite direction
throughout the summer。
Just at present the current was so strong eastwards； the moisture
beaded upon my rowers' tawny hides as they strug… gled against it； and
their melancholy song dawdled in 〃linked sweetness long drawn out；〃
while the swing of their oars grew longer and longer。 Truly it was very
hot； far hotter than was usual for the season； these men declared； and pos…
sibly this robbed me of my wonted energy； and you； gentle reader； of a
description of all the strange things we passed upon that highway。
Suffice it to say we spent a scorching afternoon； the greater part of a
stifling night moored under a mud…bank with a grove of trees on top from
which gigantic fire…flies hung as though the place were illuminated for a
garden fete； and then； rowing on again in the comparatively cool hours
before dawn； turned into a backwater at cock…crow。
The skipper of our cargo boat roused me just as we turned； putting
under my sleepy nostrils a handful of toasted beans on a leaf； and a small
cup full of something that was not coffee； but smelt as good as that
matutinal beverage always does to the tired traveller。
Over our prow was an immense arch of foliage； and under… neath a
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