ght at the man who I
presume was their leader, and struck at him with his spear, as though
in fury, wounding him in the shoulder and causing him to fall to the
ground. As he struck he called out:

"Dog! Would you harm the guests of the Child?"

Then I heard no more because I fainted away.

CHAPTER XV

THE DWELLER IN THE CAVE

After this it seemed to me that I dreamed a long and very troubled dream
concerning all sorts of curious things which I cannot remember. At last
I opened my eyes and observed that I lay on a low bed raised about three
inches above the floor, in an Eastern-looking room, large and cool. It
had window-places in it but no windows, only grass mats hung upon a
rod which, I noted inconsequently, worked on a rough, wooden hinge, or
rather pin, that enabled the curtain to be turned back against the wall.

Through one of these window-places I saw at a little distance the slope
of the forest-covered hill, which reminded me of something to do with a
child--for the life of me I could not remember what. As I lay wondering
over the matter I heard a shuffling step which I recognized, and,
turning, saw Hans twiddling a new hat made of straw in his fingers.

"Hans," I said, "where did you get that new hat?"

"They gave it me here, Baas," he answered. "The Baas will remember that
the devil Jana ate the other."

Then I did remember more or less, while Hans continued to twiddle the
hat. I begged him to put it on his head because it fidgeted me, and then
inquired where we were.

"In the Town of the Child, Baas, where they carried you after you had
seemed to die down yonder. A very nice town, where there is plenty to
eat, though, having been asleep for three days, you have had nothing
except a little milk and soup, which was poured down your throat with a
spoon whenever you seemed to half wake up for a while."

"I was tired and wanted a long rest, Hans, and now I feel hungry. Tell
me, are the lord and Bena here also, or were they killed after all?"

"Yes, Baas, they are safe enough, and so are all our goods. They were
both with Harut when he saved us down by the village yonder, but you
went to sleep and did not see them. They have been nursing you ever
since, Baas."

Just then Savage himself entered, carrying some soup upon a wooden tray
and looking almost as smart as he used to do at Ragnall Castle.

"Good day, sir," he said in his best professional manner. "Very glad to
see you back with us, sir, a