would be dashed in pieces."

"No municipal line of airships?" ventured Amory in slow
astonishment.

Jarvo did not quite get this.

"The airships, adon," he said, "belong to the imperial household and
are kept at the summit of Mount Khalak."

"A trust," comprehended Amory; "an absolute monarchy is a bit of a
trust, anyhow. Of course, it's sometimes an outraged trust..." he
murmured on.

"The adon," said Jarvo humbly, "will understand that we, I and Akko,
have borne great risk. It is necessary that we make our peace with
all speed, if that may be. The very walls are the ears of Prince
Tabnit, and it is better to be behind those walls. May the gods
permit the possible."

"Do you mean to say," asked St. George, "that we too would better
look out the prince at once?"

"The adon is wise," said Jarvo simply, "but nothing is hid from
Prince Tabnit."

St. George considered. In this mysterious place, whose ways were as
unknown to him and to his companions as was the etiquette of the
court of the moon, clearly diplomacy was the better part of valour.
It was wiser to seek out Prince Tabnit, if he had really arrived on
the island, than to be upon the defensive.

"Ah, very well," he said briefly, "we will visit the prince."

"Farewell, adon," said Jarvo, bowing low, "may the gods permit the
possible."

"Of course you will communicate with us to-morrow," suggested St.
George, "so that if we wish to send Rollo down to the yacht--"

"The gods will permit the possible, adon," Jarvo repeated gently.

There was a flash of Akko's white teeth and the two little men were
gone.

St. George and Amory turned to the descending of the wide white
steps. Such immense, impossible white steps and such a curious place
for these two to find themselves, alone, with a valet. Struck by the
same thought they looked at each other and nodded, laughing a
little.

"Alone in the distance," said Amory, emptying his pipe, "and not a
cab to be seen."

Rollo thrust forward his lean, shadowed face.

"Shall I look about for a 'ansom, sir?" he inquired with perfect
gravity.

St. George hardly heard.

"It's like cutting into a great, smooth sheet of white paper," he
said whimsically, "and making any figure you want to make."

Before they reached the bottom of the steps they divined, issuing
from an isolated, temple-seeming building below, a train of
sober-liveried attendants, all at first glance resembling Jarvo and
Akko. These defiled lei