ed over him. "Get up now, Ummanodda, little
brother, and do not mope and sulk any more. I was angry because I was
afraid. How should we have gone a day in safety without the Nizza-neela
and his Wonderstone? Come nearer to the fire, and dry your sodden
sheep's-coat."

Nod crept forlornly to the fire, and sat there shivering. He could not
eat. He crouched low on his heels, nor paid any heed to what was said or
done around him. And presently he fell into a cold, uneasy sleep, full
of dreadful dreams and voices. When he awoke, he peered sullenly out of
his jacket, and saw Ghibba with three of the five Moona-mulgars that he
had taken with him sitting hunched up round the fire. They had come back
bruised and bedraggled, and torn with thorns. One of them, stumbling in
the gloom on the green rocks, had fallen headlong into the cataract, and
had not been seen again; and one had been pounced on and carried off by
some unknown beast while they were hobbling back in the torchless
darkness towards the beacon above the cataract. There was no way beyond
the ravine. All was dense low forest, rocks and thorns, and pouring
waterways. And the travellers knew not what to be doing.

Nod could not bear to look at them nor listen to their lisping, mournful
voices. He covered up his face again, weary of the journey and of the
dream of Tishnar's Valleys, weary of his brothers, of the very daylight,
but weariest of himself.

After long palaver, Ghibba came shuffling over to him, and sat down
beside him.

"Is the Mulla-mulgar ill, that he sits alone, hiding his eyes?" he said.

Nod shook his head. "I am in my second sleep, Mountain-mulgar. A little
frost has cankered my bones. It is the Harp Nod hears, not Zevvera's
z[=o][=o]ts."

Ghibba sat with a very solemn look on his grey scarred face. "The
Mulla-mulgars say there can be no turning back, Nizza-neela. And, by the
way I have come, it is certain that there is no going onward. Then, say
they, being Mulgars-of-a-race, we must float with the mountain-water
into the great cavern, and trust our hearts to the fishes. Maybe it will
carry us to where every shadow comes at last; maybe these are the waters
of the Fountains of Assasimmon."

"I see no boat," yapped Nod scornfully. "The only boat my brothers ever
floated in was an old Gunga's Oomgar-nugga's bobberie that now is a nest
in Obea-Munza for Coccadrilloes' eggs."

"Already my people are gathering branches," said Ghibba, "to make
floatin