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r peep showed the men were now wandering about rather aimlessly。 Perhaps after all they did not know of our nearness？ Then they took to horseplay； as idle soldiers will even in Mars； pelting each other with bits of wood and dead fish； and thereon I breathed again。
Nearer they came and nearer； my heart beating fast as they strolled amongst the boats until they were actually 〃larking〃 round the one next to ours。 A minute or two of this； and another footstep crunched on the pebbles； a quick； nervous one； which my instinct told me was that of our returning friend。
〃Hullo old sprat…catcher！ Going for a sail？〃 called out a soldier； and I knew that the group were all round our boat； Heru trembling so violently in my breast that I thought she would make the vessel shake。
〃Yes；〃 said the man gruffly。
〃Let's go with him；〃 cried several voices。 〃Here； old dried haddock； will you take us if we help haul your nets for you？〃
〃No； I won't。 Your ugly faces would frighten all the fish out of the sea。〃
〃And yours； you old chunk of dried mahogany； is meant to attract them no doubt。〃
〃Let's tie him to a post and go fishing in his boat ourselves；〃 some one suggested。 Meanwhile two of them began rocking the cobble violently from side to side。 This was awful； and every moment I expected the net and the sail which our friend had thrown down unceremoniously upon us would roll off。
〃Oh； stop that；〃 said the Martian； who was no doubt quite as well aware of the danger as we were。 〃The tide's full； the shoals are in the baystop your nonsense； and help me launch like good fellows。〃
〃Well； take two of us； then。 We will sit on this heap of nets as quiet as mice； and stand you a drink when we get back。〃
〃No； not one of you；〃 quoth the plucky fellow； 〃and here's my staff in my hand； and if you don't leave my gear alone I will crack some of your ugly heads。〃
〃That's a pity；〃 I thought to myself； 〃for if they take to fighting it will be six to onelong odds against our chances。〃 There was indeed a scuffle； and then a yell of pain； as though a soldier had been hit across the knuckles； but in a minute the best disposed called out； 〃Oh； cease your fun； boys； and let the fellow get off if he wants to。 You know the fleet will be down directly； and Ar…hap has promised something worth having to the man who can find that lost bit of crackling of his。 It's my opinion she's in the town； and I for one would rather look for her than go haddock fishing any day。〃
〃Right you are； mates；〃 said our friend with visible relief。 〃And； what's more； if you help me launch this boat and then go to my missus and tell her what you've done； she'll understand； and give you the biggest pumpkinful of beer in the place。 Ah； she will understand； and bless your soft hearts and heads while you drink itshe's a cute one is my missus。〃
〃And aren't you afraid to leave her with us？〃
〃Not I； my daisy； unless it were that a sight of your pretty face might give her hysterics。 Now lend a hand； your accursed chatter has already cost me half an hour of the best fishing time。〃
〃In with you； old buck！〃 shouted the soldiers； I felt the fisherman step in； as a matter of fact he stepped in on to my toes； a dozen hands were on the gunwales： six soldier yells resounded； it seemed； in my very ears： there was the grit and rush of pebbles under the keel： a sudden lurch up of the bows； which brought the fairy lady's honey… scented lips to mine； and then the gentle lapping of deep blue waters underneath us！
There is little more to be said of that voyage。 We pulled until out of sight of the town； then hoisted sail； and； with a fair wind； held upon one tack until we made an island where there was a small colony of Hither folk。
Here our friend turned back。 I gave him another gold button from my coat； and the princess a kiss upon either cheek； which he seemed to like even more than the button。 It was small payment； but the best we had。 Doubtless he got safely home； and I can but hope that Providence somehow or other paid him and his wife for a good deed bravely done。
Those islanders in turn lent us another boat； with a guide； who had business in the Hither capital； and on the evening of the second day； the direct route being very short in com… parison； we were under the crumbling marble walls of Seth。
CHAPTER XX
It was like turning into a hothouse from a keen winter walk； our arrival at the beautiful but nerveless city after my life amongst the woodmen。
As for the people； they were delighted to have their princess back； but with the delight of children； fawning about her； singing； clapping hands； yet asking no questions as to where she had been； showing no appreciation of our adventuresa serious offence in my eyesand； perhaps most important of all； no understanding of what I may call the political bearings of Heru's restoration； and how far their arch enemies beyond the sea might be inclined to attempt her recovery。
They were just delighted to have the princess back； and that was the end of it。 Theirs was the joy of a vast nursery let loose。 Flower processions were organised； garlands woven by the mile； a general order issued that the nation might stay up for an hour after bedtime； and in the vortex of that gentle rejoicing Heru was taken from me； and I saw her no more； till there happened the wildest scene of all you have shared with me so patiently。
Overlooked； unthanked； I turned sulky； and when this mood； one I can never maintain for long； wore off； I threw myself into the dissipation about me with angry zeal。 I am frankly ashamed of the confession； but I was 〃a sailor ashore；〃 and can only claim the indulgences proper to the situation。 I laughed； danced； drank； through the night； I drank deep of a dozen rosy ways to forgetfulness； till my mind was a great confusion； full of flitting pictures of love… liness； till life itself was an illusive pantomime； and my will but thistle…down on the folly of the moment。 I drank with those gentle roisterers all through their starlit night； and if we stopped when morning came it was more from weariness than virtue。 Then the yellow…robed slaves gave us the wine of recoveryalas！ my faithful An was not amongst them and all through the day we lay about in sodden happiness。
Towards nightfall I was myself again； not unfortunately with the headache well earned； but sufficiently remorseful to be in a vein to make good resolutions for the future。
In this mood I mingled with a happy crowd； all purpose… less and cheerful as usual； but before long began to feel the influence of one of those drifts； a universal turning in one direction； as seaweed turns when the tide changes； so char… acteristic of Martian society。 It was dusk； a lovely soft velvet dusk； but not dark yet； and I said to a yellow…robed fairy at my side：
〃Whither away； comrade？ It is not eight bells yet。 Surely we are not going to be put to bed so early as this？〃
〃No；〃 said that smiling individual； 〃it is the princess。 We are going to listen to Princess Heru in the palace square。 She reads the globe on the terrace again tonight； to see if omens are propitious for her marriage。 She MUST marry； and you know the ceremony has been unavoidably postponed so far。〃
〃Unavoidably postponed？〃 Yes； Heaven wotted I was aware of the fact。 And was Heru going to marry black Hath in such a hurry？ And after all I had done for her？ It was scarcely decent； and I tried to rouse myself to rage over it； but somehow the seductive Martian contentment with any fate was getting into my veins。 I was not yet altogether sunk in their slothful acceptance of the inevitable； but there was not the slightest doubt the hot red blood in me was turn… ing to vapid stuff such as did duty for the article in their veins。 I mustered up a half…hearted frown at this unwelcome intelligence； turning with it on my face towards the slave girl； but she had slipped away into the throng； so the frown evaporated； and shrugging my shoulders I said to myself； 〃What does it matter？ There are twenty others will do as well for me。 If not one； why then obviously an… other； 'tis the only rational way to think； and at all events there is the magic globe。 That may tell us something。〃 And slipping my arm round the waist of the first disengaged girlwe were not then； mind you； in Atlantic CityI kissed her dimpling cheek unreproached； and gaily followed in the drift of humanity； trending with a low hum of pleasure towards the great white terraces under the palace porch。
How well I knew them！ It was just such an evening Heru had consulted Fate in the same place once before； how much had happened since then！ But there was little time or in… clination to think of those things now。 The whole phantom city's population had drifted to one common centre。 The crumbling seaward ramparts were all deserted； no soldier watch was kept to note if angry woodmen came from over seas； a soft wind blew in from off the brine； but told no tales； the streets were empty； and； when as we waited far away in the southern sky the earth planet presently got up； by its light Heru； herself again； came tripping down the steps to read her fate。
They had placed another magic globe under a shroud on a tripod