nderstood and bowed down to you?" questioned Dick.

"Yes, my son. Fierce as they are, they received me as a friend and
master. From that day, they have had no war. I promised them peace
and I brought them peace."

"I see that they are anxious to join us in this raid," said Dan. "They
have been quiet too long."

"Can you lend us just a few warriors?" asked Dick. "They know the
jungle warfare and can show my desert fighters what to do."

"I can lend you a guide, Mutaba," said the Mahatma. "But once I set
the tribe free to warfare, my days here are ended."

"You mean that they would turn on you and kill you?"

"No, my son. I mean that the unseen guide who led me here to meditate,
told me that when war came to my tribe, on that day my search would
begin once more."

"Your search? For what?"

Dan's question brought an unexpected reply from the Hindu.

"My search is for an ancient crown of massive gold and gems," he said.
"It is so old that no man knows when it was made or for whom. It is of
great value to the possessor."

"If it's gold you want," said Dan, "we know where you can get a
shipload. Don't we, Dick?"

"Peace, peace! Gold is nothing to me. It is the crown I seek. The
crown that has been in the treasuries of great kings but now has
vanished. King Solomon had it as a gift from the Queen of Sheba. It
was lost for centuries, then found in the Court of an Abyssinian king.
Then it disappeared. Where it is now, I know not."

"Why don't you look for it in your crystal?"

"I have tried. Many times. But the magic of the crown is stronger
than my own. It refuses to show itself in my crystal sphere."

"Why do you want it so much?" asked Dan.

"Because upon that crown is engraved the secret of wisdom. It is a
secret that is older than man. If I could look upon that symbol and
fix it upon my memory, I would give all the riches in the world."

Dick was thinking hard. He turned impatiently, as Raal approached him
and asked, "O mighty Tahara, when do we start?"

"Soon, Raal, very soon."

"My heart is heavy, Master, when I think of the princess held captive."

"And what about me?" exclaimed Dan. "Am I to wait around here talking,
while my sister's life is in danger?"

"Peace, peace, children!" said the Mahatma. "All will be well if you
have patience."

"We will never get to the camp today!" exclaimed Dan.

"Then we can fight by the light of the full moon," Dick retorted
sharply. "