The planet of peril
who has made it possible."
There was more cheering for Grandon, for Joto and for the newly-named
nation. Then Joto, after making Oro commander, appointed the five
councilors who were to assist him, asking them to step forward as their
names were called. He named the four other captains and Tholto in
order, but Tholto failed to appear.
One of the latter's lieutenants, on being questioned, stated that
Tholto had left him in command during the hottest fighting, and had
departed with twenty men. About this time Grandon recalled that he
had not seen either Vernia or Rotha since he left them at the foot
of the stairway, and hastily sent a girl to the women's quarters to
ascertain if they were safe. Joto dispatched soldiers to search all the
underground passageways and rooms for the missing mojak and his men.
While they were out the girl Grandon had sent returned with the news
that neither Vernia nor Rotha had been in the women's quarters since
morning.
* * * * *
In a flash Grandon thought of the open door he had noticed while
getting the fighting machines. An awful fear gripped his heart as he
rushed out of the audience chamber and along the passageway which led
to the armory. Joto, Oro and the more swift-footed among the soldiers
followed closely.
Quickly springing the hidden catch, he ran down the steps and out on
the docks where he saw at a glance that one of the boats was missing.
"You may as well call in your searchers, Joto," he said sadly. "They
are gone."
"But where--how?"
"This stream leads out of the valley. They have disappeared. One of the
boats is missing. The conclusion is obvious. I must have twenty picked
fighting men at once, provisions, water, torches, and a mattork-cannon.
See how fast you can work, men. And Oro, get me one of those large
searchlights we took from the airship. We will need it in these
caverns. Hurry!"
While Grandon carefully examined the nearest boat to determine its
seaworthiness, Joto rushed his men as they had never been rushed
before. Within a half hour the craft was provisioned and fitted with
searchlight and mattork, while twenty of Granterra's brawniest fighting
men stood ready to man her.
Grandon said good-by to Joto and turning to Oro, was surprised to find
him in an attitude of supplication.
"A boon, mighty Grandon of Terra," he pleaded.
"Gladly, Oro, if within my power, but speak quickly. We are wasting
precious moments."
"Take me with you."
"I have twenty men already, and don't want to weight the boat
unnecessarily. Besides you are now commander-in-chief of Granterra's
armies, and your duty lies here. Why do you wish to leave?"
"The villainous Tholto has stolen one who means more than life to me. I
would rescue her or avenge her."
"You mean Rotha?"
Oro nodded.
"Ask King Joto. You are subject to his orders, not mine. If you have
his consent, you may come."
"You have my consent, Oro, and both of you my heartfelt wishes for your
success," said Joto. "I will appoint a substitute for Oro while he is
gone, and will see that he is reinstated on his return."
The soldiers took their places at the paddle holes, Oro was placed at
the tiller, and Grandon manned the searchlight on the forward deck. A
hundred willing hands pushed them off, and the shouts of farewell from
those on the dock gradually gave place to the roar of the black waters,
as they forged swiftly ahead beneath the eroded archways hung with
glistening stalactites.
Grandon found Oro a skillful navigator and his soldiers adept with the
paddles. Joto had wisely selected them, not only for their fighting
prowess, but also because they had previously lived with their people
in the great salt marsh where boats were a necessity and every man
proficient in their use. Had he chosen men raised in the valley they
would have made awkward sailors.
The stream gradually widened as they progressed, and often forked in
numerous ramifications, flowing through a labyrinth of arched caves for
a distance, then uniting in a common channel farther on. The waters and
the banks on either side of them teemed with weird subterranean life.
Reptiles and animals of a thousand sizes and kinds swarmed the banks,
and glided through the water about the boat.
Once they struck a huge saurian that nearly capsized their craft,
but the creature sank out of sight and did not offer to molest them.
Grandon noticed one peculiarity common to all, namely, that they
were sightless, and paid no attention to the searchlight. In fact,
practically all of them were without even rudimentary eyes, though
a few had eye-sockets, and one or two boasted antennælike feelers
sprouting from the head.
* * * * *
Upon rounding a sharp bend in the river they suddenly heard a terrific
roaring sound that totally obliterated the noise made by the stream.
Grandon flashed his light ahead to learn the cause, then quickly
ordered the paddlers to reverse, for directly ahead was a solid wall
of falling water that churned the stream into foam and sent clouds of
spray whirling toward them.
The momentum of the boat carried them dangerously close before they
could stop, but Oro veered to one side, ramming the prow against the
bank until the paddlers could make headway against the current. When at
a safe distance they turned and made for the first fork, through which
they found a safe passage around the falls.
That the wall of water they had so narrowly escaped was the bottom of
the whirlpool in which the surface-stream ended, Grandon could not
doubt. He was therefore able to determine their distance from the
cliffs with reasonable certainty, and calculated that within two hours
at the most, they should be outside the valley.
All unsuspecting, he stood on the deck of the swiftly-gliding boat,
turning his light this way and that and watching the blind monsters
disporting themselves in the water or crawling and wriggling about on
the banks.
He did not see the hideous, crouching thing on the top of the great
overhanging shelf under which they must shortly pass--a thing without
eyes, but with nose and ears abnormally developed, a thing with great
cavernous jaws armed with a double row of razor-sharp teeth and with
powerful claws that could rend and tear the toughest saurians limb from
limb.
It was all over in an instant. Oro, looking ahead as they came under
the overhanging bank, saw a great, sinuous bulk shoot downward,
sweeping Grandon from the narrow deck and into the dark depths below.
They stopped the boat and hung near the spot for more than an hour,
hoping that Grandon might have broken away from the monster, but saw
only a few bubbles and something that looked like blood, both of which
quickly disappeared in the foaming current. Frantically they sought
him, making reckless but vain efforts to surmount the shelf and rescue
their beloved young commander. At last, with grief-stricken faces, they
sadly resumed their journey.
CHAPTER XXIV.
MEN WITHOUT EYES.
For several hours after she was seized and bound by Tholto's men Vernia
lay with Rotha in darkness in the bottom of the boat. She could not see
the members of the crew on either side, though she heard the rhythmic
strokes of the paddles and caught scraps of the conversation.
Tholto acted as helmsman, holding his torch aloft with one hand while
he swung the tiller with the other. From time to time she caught the
glint of torchlight as he stooped to issue hoarse commands.
It was by sheer good luck that they happened on the channel which led
them around the column of falling water, for in the dim light it is
probable that the helmsman would not have seen it and reversed the boat
in time to avoid it. Vernia, of course, knew nothing of the danger they
had so narrowly escaped, though she heard the distant roar and wondered
what caused it.
Several hours after they passed the falls the interior of the boat was
suddenly illuminated by daylight streaming through the front and rear
entrance holes. After another hour of paddling Tholto placed one of his
men at the helm and, untying the bonds of the two girls, put food and
water before them.
He watched them silently while they drank; neither ate anything; then
tied them once more and resumed his place on deck. The man who had
acted as steersman distributed food and water to the others at their
posts, half of the men paddling while the other half ate and drank.
Some time later--Vernia judged it to be about mid-day--the boat lurched
violently, then settled down to a familiar, rolling motion that vividly
reminded her of her trip with Grandon in the fragile toadstool craft on
the treacherous Azpok Ocean.
The two girls conversed in whispers, speculating on the fate that was
in store for them and wondering if Grandon and Oro had learned of their
abduction. At length both became violently ill from the tossing of the
craft and lapsed into silence.
Toward evening Tholto ordered half of the men on deck while the others
redoubled their efforts at the paddles. In a few moments the keel
grated sharply on gravel and the lurching ceased. Tholto threw Vernia
over his shoulder as if she had been a sack of sabit food and carried
her up on the bank while another of the men followed with Rotha.
The crew speedily unloaded all provisions and supplies, then dragged
the lightened craft high on the bank. A fire was started in the lee of
the rocky cliffs, and two of the men who had gone in search of meat
returned with a large pink lizard which was cut up and roasted over the
flames.
* * * * *
The cliff behind them was honey-combed with natural caves. Tholto chose
the largest and best situated of these for himself; the next best for
his men.
While the evening meal was being prepared moss was gathered for couches
by some, while others went in search of roots to make Zarovian wine. A
large supply of the latter was secured and placed in a food sack with
water which was brought to a boil by the primitive method of dropping
hot stones in it.
When the men had eaten their fill Tholto undid the bonds of both girls
and ordered them to serve the kova. For cups they were provided with
the shells of large bivalves. Rotha complied meekly, but Vernia refused
with flashing eyes, whereupon Tholto seized her wrists and twisted them
cruelly.
"You are my woman," he growled. "Do my bidding, and do it quickly, or
you will be punished. I would not hurt that beautiful body of yours,
but you must learn now to obey."
There was a blazing fire in her glance as she suddenly wrenched her
arms free.
"Your woman indeed! I should much prefer to mate with a monkey-man."
Tholto laughed sneeringly.
"I will tame you. Your lessons will start to-night."
Binding her hands and feet once more, despite her struggles, he carried
her into the dark cave and threw her on the floor.
"Now lie there and reflect on the folly of resistance. Much good wine
is being consumed, and I would not miss it. I will return presently,
and if you so much as utter a whisper of protest you will learn why
strong men fear the wrath of Tholto."
Many of the marsh-men had not tasted liquor for years, each man's
abstinence dating from the time he had been captured by sabits. Small
wonder, then, that they called for more and more until Rotha, exhausted
by running from one to the other with the brimming shells, sipped a
small quantity herself to stimulate her flagging muscles. The effects
of the wine were very strong. The men were first mildly stimulated,
then exhilarated, and finally stupefied.
Tholto might have drunk to excess with the rest, had not other