he table instead of cooking with it, or we'd be out of luck."

Waving the copper sulphate away, he again reached out, this time
producing a pair of small salt-and pepper-shakers, which he passed to
the Domak after he had seasoned the dishes before him. Nalboon tasted
the pepper cautiously and smiled in delight, half-emptying the shaker
upon his plate. He then sprinkled a few grains of salt into his palm,
stared at them with an expression of doubting amazement, and after a few
rapid sentences poured them into a dish held by an officer who had
sprung to his side. The officer studied them closely, then carefully
washed his chief's hand. Nalboon turned to Seaton, plainly asking for
the salt-cellar.

"Sure, old top. Keep 'em both, there's lots more where those came from,"
as he produced several more sets in the same mysterious way and handed
them to Crane, who in turn passed them to the others.

* * * * *

The meal progressed merrily, with much conversation in the sign-language
between the two parties. It was evident that Nalboon, usually stern and
reticent, was in an unusually pleasant mood. The viands, though of
peculiar flavor, were in the main pleasing to the palates of the Earthly
visitors.

"This fruit salad, or whatever it is, is divine," remarked Dorothy,
after an experimental bite. "May we eat as much as we like, or had we
better just eat a little?"

"Go as far as you like," returned her lover. "I wouldn't recommend it,
as a steady diet, as I imagine everything contains copper and other
heavy metals in noticeable amounts, and probably considerable arsenic,
but for a few days it can't very well hurt us much."

After the meal, Nalboon bade them a ceremonious farewell, and they were
escorted to a series of five connecting rooms by the royal usher,
escorted by an entire company of soldiers, who mounted guard outside the
doors. Gathered in one room, they discussed sleeping arrangements. The
girls insisted that they would sleep together, and that the men should
occupy the rooms at either side. As the girls turned away, the four
slaves followed.

"We don't want these people, and I can't make them go away!" cried
Dorothy.

"I don't want them, either," replied Seaton, "but if we chase them out
they'll get their heads chopped off. You girls take the women and we'll
take the men."

Seaton waved all the women into the girls' room, but they paused
irresolutely. One of them went up to t