first time during that night spoke to me saying:

"Remain here in the _balsa_, Lord, while I talk with these people, and
when I summon you be pleased to come. Fear not--none will harm you."

Then she sprang from the prow of the _balsa_ to the shore, followed by
her two maidens, who dragged it further up the beach, and went forward
to talk with certain white-robed men in the crowd. For a long while
she talked, turning now and again to point at me. At length these men,
accompanied by a number of others, ran forward. At first I thought they
meant mischief and grasped my sword-hilt, then, remembering what Quilla
had said, remained seated and silent.

Indeed, there was no cause for fear, for when the white-robed chiefs or
priests and their following were close to me, suddenly they prostrated
themselves and beat their heads upon the sand, from which I learned that
they, too, believed me to be a god. Thereon I bowed to them and, drawing
my sword--at the sight of which I saw them stare and shiver, for to
these people steel was unknown--held it straight up in front of me in my
right hand, the shield with the cognizance of the three arrows being on
my left arm.

Now all the men rose, and some of them of the humbler sort, creeping
to the _balsa_, suddenly seized it and lifted it on to their shoulders,
which, being but a light thing of reeds and blown-out skins, they could
do easily enough. Then, preceded by the chiefs, they advanced up the
beach into the town, I still remaining seated in the boat with Kari
crouching behind me. So strange was the business that almost I laughed
aloud, wondering what those grave merchants of the Cheap whom I had
known in London would think if they could see me thus.

"Kari," I said, without turning my head, "what are they going to do with
us? Set us in yonder temple to be worshipped with nothing to eat?"

"I think not, Master," answered Kari, "since there the lady Quilla could
not come to speak with you if she would. I think that they will take
you to the house of the king of this country where, I understand, she is
dwelling."

This, indeed, proved to be the case, for we were borne solemnly up the
main street of the town, that now was packed with thousands of people,
some of whom threw flowers before the feet of the bearers, bowing and
staring till I thought that their eyes would fall out, to a large,
flat-roofed house set in a walled courtyard. Passing through the gates
the bearers placed th