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The news soon spread over the countryside that my jewel… hunter was bringing a live 〃spook〃 along with him； con… siderable curiosity mixed with an awe all to my advantage characterising the people we met thereafter。 Yet the won… der was not so great as might have been expected； for these people were accustomed to meeting the tags of lost races； and though they stared hard； their interest was chiefly in hearing how； when； and where I had been found； whether I bit or kicked； or had any other vices； and if I possessed any commercial value。
My guide's throat must have ached with the repetition of the narrative； but as he made the story redound greatly to his own glory； he put up cheerfully with the hoarseness。 In this way； walking and talking alternately； we travelled during daylight through a country which slowly lost its rugged features and became more and more inhabited； the hardy people living in scattered villages in contradiction to the debased city…loving Hither folk。
About nightfall we came to a sea…fishers' hamlet； where； after the old man had explained my exalted nature and ven… erable antiquity； I was offered shelter for the night。
My host was the headman； and I must say his bearing towards the supernatural was most unaffected。 If it had been an Avenue hotel I could not have found more handsome treatment than in that reed…thatched hut。 They made me wash and rest； and then were all agog for my history； but that I postponed； contenting myself with telling them I had been lately in Seth； and had come thence to see them via the ice valleyto all of which they listened with the simplicity of children。 Afterwards I turned on them； and openly mar… velled that so small a geographical distance as there was between that land and this could make so vast a human difference。 〃The truth； O dweller in blue shadows of primordial ice； is；〃 said the most intelligent of the Thither folk as we sat over fried deer…steak in his hut that evening； 〃we who are MEN； not Peri…zad； not overstayed fairies like those you have been amongst； are newcomers here on this shore。 We came but a few generations ago from where the gold curtains of the sun lie behind the westward pine…trees； and as we came we drove； year by year； those fays； those spent triflers； back before us。 All this land was theirs once； and more and more towards our old home。 You may still see traces of harbours dug and cities built thousands of years ago； when the Hither folk were living men and women not their shadows。 The big water outside stops us for a space； but；〃 he added； laughing gruffly and taking a draught of a strong beer he had been heating by the fire； 〃King Ar…hap has their pretty noses between his fingers； he takes tribute and girls while he gets readythey say he is nearly ready this summer； and if he is； it will not be much of an excuse he will need to lick up the last of those triflers； those pretences of manhood。〃
Then we fell to talking of Ar…hap； his subjects and town； and I learned the tides had swept me a long way to the northward of the proper route between the capitals of the two races； that day they carried me into the Dead…Men's Ice； as these entertainers of mine called the northern snows。 To get back to the place previously aimed at； where the woodmen road came out on the seashore； it was necessary to go either by boat； a roundabout way through a maze of channels； 〃as tangled as the grass roots in autumn〃； or； secondly； by a couple of days' marching due southward across the base of the great peninsula we were on； and so strike blue water again at the long…sought…for harbour。
As I lay dozing and dreaming on a pile of strange furs in the corner of the hut that evening I made up my mind for the land journey tomorrow； having had enough for the mo… ment of nautical Martian adventures； and this point settled； fell again to wondering what made me follow so reckless a quest in the way I was doing； asking myself again and again what was gazelle…eyed Heru to me after all； and why should it matter even as much as the value of a brass waist… coat button whether Hath had her or Ar…hap？ What a fool I was to risk myself day by day in quaint and dangerous adventures； wearing out good Government shoe…leather in other men's quarrels； all for a silly slip of royal girlhood who； by this time； was probably making herself comfortable and forgetting both Hath and me in the arms of her rough new lord。
And from Heru my mind drifted back dreamily to poor An； and Seth； the city of fallen magnificence； where the spent masters of a strange planet now lived on suffer… ancethe ghosts of their former selves。 Where was An； where the revellers on the morningso long ago it seemed！when first that infernal rug of mine translated a chance wish into a horrible reality and shot me down here； a stranger and an outcast？ Where was the magic rug itself？ Where my steak and tomato supper？ Who had eaten it？ Who was drawing my pay？ If I could but find the rug when I got back to Seth； gods！ but I would try if it would not return whence I had come； and as swiftly； out of all these silly coils and adventuring。
So musing； presently the firelight died down； and bulky forms of hide…wrapped woodmen sleeping on the floor slowly disappeared in obscurity like ranges of mountains disappearing in the darkness of night。 All those uncouth forms； and the throb of the sea outside； presently faded upon my senses； and I slept the heavy sleep of one whose wakefulness gives way before an imperious physical demand。 All through the long hours of the night； while the waves outside champed upon the gravels； and the woodmen snored and grunted uneasily as they simultaneously dreamt of the day's hunting and digested its proceeds； I slept； and then when dawn began to break I passed from that heavy stupor into another and lighter realm； wherein fancy again rose superior to bodily fatigue； and events of the last few days passed in procession through my mind。
I dreamt I was lunching at a fashionable seaside resort with Polly at my side； and An kept bringing us melons； which grew so monstrous every time a knife was put into them that poor Polly screamed aloud。 I dreamt I was afloat on a raft； hotly pursued by my tailor； whose bare and shiny headmay Providence be good to him！was garlanded with roses； while in his fist was a bunch of unpaid bills； the which he waved aloft； shouting to me to stop。 And thus we danced down an ink…black river until he had chiveyed me into the vast hall of the Admiralty； where a fearsome Secretary； whose golden teeth rattled and dropped from his head with mingled cold and anger； towered above me as he asked why I was absent from my ship without leave。 And I was just mumbling out excuses while stooping to pick up his golden dentistry； when some one stirring in the hut aroused me。 I started up on my elbow and looked around。 Where was I？ For a minute all was confused and dark。 The heavy mound…like forms of sleeping men； the dim outlines of their hunting gear upon the walls； the pale sea beyond； half seen through the open doorway； just turning livid in the morning light； and then as my eyes grew more ac… customed to the obscurity； and my stupid senses returned； I recognised the su