in.

He dropped on to his knees, but could speak no word; when he raised
his eyes again the whole glorious company had vanished.

[Illustration: ]

The air was cool and fragrant, the earth moist as if a shower had
just fallen. He got up and slowly walked onward until near sunset,
thinking of nothing but the beautiful people of the Mirage. He had
left the barren salt plain behind by now; the earth was covered with
yellow grass, and he found and ate some sweet roots and berries.
Then feeling very tired, he stretched himself out on his back and
began to wonder if what he had seen was nothing but a dream. Yes, it
was surely a dream, but then--in his life dreams and realities were
so mixed--how was he always to know one from the other? Which was
most strange, the Mirage that glittered and quivered round him and
flew mockingly before him, or the people of the Mirage he had seen?

If you are lying quite still with your eyes shut and some one comes
softly up and stands over you, somehow you know it, and open your
eyes to see who it is. Just in that way Martin knew that some one
had come and was standing over him. Still he kept his eyes shut,
feeling sure that it was one of those bright and beautiful beings he
had lately seen, perhaps the Queen herself, and that the sight of
her shining countenance would dazzle his eyes. Then all at once he
thought that it might be old Jacob, who would punish him for running
away. He opened his eyes very quickly then. What do you think he saw?
An ostrich--that same big ostrich he had seen and startled early in
the day! It was standing over him, staring down with its great
vacant eyes. Gradually its head came lower and lower down, until at
last it made a sudden peck at a metal button on his jacket, and gave
such a vigorous tug at it that Martin was almost lifted off the
ground. He screamed and gave a jump; but it was nothing to the jump
the ostrich gave when he discovered that the button belonged to a
living boy. He jumped six feet high into the air and came down with
a great flop; then feeling rather ashamed of himself for being
frightened at such an insignificant thing as Martin, he stalked
majestically away, glancing back, first over one shoulder then the
other, and kicking up his heels behind him in a somewhat disdainful
manner.

Martin laughed, and in the middle of his laugh he fell asleep.

CHAPTER VI

MARTIN MEETS WITH SAVAGES

When, on waking next morning, Martin took h