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incomparable Dejah Thoris were she not already deadto sacrifice
other hours； and maybe days in a fruitless exploration of another
blind lead would unquestionably prove fatal。
Several times I essayed the right…hand entrance only to turn
back as though warned by some strange intuitive sense that
this was not the way。 At last； convinced by the oft…recurring
phenomenon； I cast my all upon the left…hand archway； yet it was
with a lingering doubt that I turned a parting look at the sullen
waters which rolled； dark and forbidding； from beneath the grim；
low archway on the right。
And as I looked there came bobbing out upon the current from
the Stygian darkness of the interior the shell of one of the great；
succulent fruits of the sorapus tree。
I could scarce restrain a shout of elation as this silent； insensate
messenger floated past me； on toward the Iss and Korus； for it
told me that journeying Martians were above me on that very stream。
They had eaten of this marvelous fruit which nature concentrates
within the hard shell of the sorapus nut； and having eaten had
cast the husk overboard。 It could have come from no others than
the party I sought。
Quickly I abandoned all thought of the left…hand passage； and
a moment later had turned into the right。 The stream soon widened；
and recurring areas of phosphorescent rock lighted my way。
I made good time； but was convinced that I was nearly a day
behind those I was tracking。 Neither Woola nor I had eaten since
the previous day； but in so far as he was concerned it mattered but
little； since practically all the animals of the dead sea bottoms
of Mars are able to go for incredible periods without nourishment。
Nor did I suffer。 The water of the river was sweet and cold；
for it was unpolluted by decaying bodieslike the Issand as for
food； why the mere thought that I was nearing my beloved princess
raised me above every material want。
As I proceeded； the river became narrower and the current
swift and turbulentso swift in fact that it was with difficulty
that I forced my craft upward at all。 I could not have been making
to exceed a hundred yards an hour when； at a bend； I was confronted
by a series of rapids through which the river foamed and boiled at
a terrific rate。
My heart sank within me。 The sorapus nutshell had proved a
false prophet； and； after all； my intuition had been correctit
was the left…hand channel that I should have followed。
Had I been a woman I should have wept。 At my right was a great；
slow…moving eddy that circled far beneath the cliff's overhanging side；
and to rest my tired muscles before turning back I let my boat drift
into its embrace。
I was almost prostrated by disappointment。 It would mean
another half…day's loss of time to retrace my way and take the only
passage that yet remained unexplored。 What hellish fate had led me
to select from three possible avenues the two that were wrong？
As the lazy current of the eddy carried me slowly about the
periphery of the watery circle my boat twice touched the rocky side
of the river in the dark recess beneath the cliff。 A third time it
struck； gently as it had before； but the contact resulted in a
different soundthe sound of wood scraping upon wood。
In an instant I was on the alert； for there could be no wood
within that buried river that had not been man brought。 Almost
coincidentally with my first apprehension of the noise； my hand
shot out across the boat's side； and a second later I felt my
fingers gripping the gunwale of another craft。
As though turned to stone I sat in tense and rigid silence；
straining my eyes into the utter darkness before me in an effort to
discover if the boat were occupied。
It was entirely possible that there might be men on board it
who were still ignorant of my presence； for the boat was scraping
gently against the rocks upon one side； so that the gentle touch of
my boat upon the other easily could have gone unnoticed。
Peer as I would I could not penetrate the darkness； and then
I listened intently for the sound of breathing near me； but except
for the noise of the rapids； the soft scraping of the boats； and
the lapping of the water at their sides I could distinguish no
sound。 As usual； I thought rapidly。
A rope lay coiled in the bottom of my own craft。 Very softly
I gathered it up； and making one end fast to the bronze ring in the
prow I stepped gingerly into the boat beside me。 In one hand I
grasped the rope； in the other my keen long…sword。
For a full minute； perhaps； I stood motionless after entering
the strange craft。 It had rocked a trifle beneath my weight； but
it had been the scraping of its side against the side of my own
boat that had seemed most likely to alarm its occupants； if there
were any。
But there was no answering sound； and a moment later I had
felt from stem to stern and found the boat deserted。
Groping with my hands along the face of the rocks to which the
craft was moored； I discovered a narrow ledge which I knew must be
the avenue taken by those who had come before me。 That they could
be none other than Thurid and his party I was convinced by the size
and build of the boat I had found。
Calling to Woola to follow me I stepped out upon the ledge。
The great； savage brute； agile as a cat； crept after me。
As he passed through the boat that had been occupied by Thurid
and the therns he emitted a single low growl； and when he came
beside me upon the ledge and my hand rested upon his neck I felt
his short mane bristling with anger。 I think he sensed
telepathically the recent presence of an enemy； for I had made no
effort to impart to him the nature of our quest or the status of
those we tracked。
This omission I now made haste to correct； and； after the
manner of green Martians with their beasts； I let him know
partially by the weird and uncanny telepathy of Barsoom and partly
by word of mouth that we were upon the trail of those who had
recently occupied the boat through which we had just passed。
A soft purr； like that of a great cat； indicated that Woola
understood； and then； with a word to him to follow； I turned to the
right along the ledge； but scarcely had I done so than I felt his
mighty fangs tugging at my leathern harness。
As I turned to discover the cause of his act he continued to pull
me steadily in the opposite direction； nor would he desist until I
had turned about and indicated that I would follow him voluntarily。
Never had I known him to be in error in a matter of tracking；
so it was with a feeling of entire security that I moved cautiously
in the huge beast's wake。 Through Cimmerian darkness he moved
along the narrow ledge beside the boiling rapids。
As we advanced； the way led from beneath the overhanging
cliffs out into a dim light； and then it was that I saw that the
trail had been cut from the living rock； and that it ran up along
the river's side beyond the rapids。
For hours we followed the dark and gloomy river farther and
farther into the bowels of Mars。 From the direction and
distance I knew that we must be well beneath the Valley Dor；
and possibly beneath the Sea of Omean as wellit could not
be much farther now to the Temple of the Sun。
Even as my mind framed the thought； Woola halted suddenly
before a narrow； arched doorway in the cliff by the trail's side。
Quickly he crouched back away from the entrance； at the same time
turning his eyes toward me。
Words could not have more plainly told me that danger of some
sort lay near by； and so I pressed quietly forward to his side；
and passing him looked into the aperture at our right。
Before me was a fair…sized chamber that； from its appointments；
I knew must have at one time been a guardroom。 There were racks
for weapons； and slightly raised platforms for the sleeping silks
and furs of the warriors； but now its only occupants were two of
the therns who had been of the party with Thurid and Matai Shang。
The men were in earnest conversation； and from their tones it was
apparent that they were entirely unaware that they had listeners。
〃I tell you；〃 one of them was saying； 〃I do not trust the black one。
There was no necessity for leaving us here to guard the way。
Against what； pray； should we guard this long…forgotten；
abysmal path？ It was but a ruse to divide our numbers。
〃He will have Matai Shang leave others elsewhere on some
pretext or other； and then at last he will fall upon us with his
confederates and slay us all。〃
〃I believe you； Lakor；〃 replied the other； 〃there can never be
aught else than deadly hatred between thern and First Born。 And
what think you of the ridiculous matter of the light？ ‘Let the
light shine with the intensity of three radium units for fifty
tals； and for one xat let it shine