As Carthoris, Xodar, Tars Tarkas, and I stood gazing atthe magnificent vessel which meant so much to all of us,we saw a second and then a third top the summit of thehills and glide gracefully after their sister.

Now a score of one-man air scouts were launching from theupper decks of the nearer vessel, and in a moment morewere speeding in long, swift dives to the ground about us.

In another instant we were surrounded by armed sailors,and an officer had stepped forward to address us, when hiseyes fell upon Carthoris. With an exclamation of surprisedpleasure he sprang forward, and, placing his hands uponthe boy's shoulder, called him by name.

"Carthoris, my Prince," he cried, "Kaor! Kaor! Hor Vastusgreets the son of Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, and of herhusband, John Carter. Where have you been, O my Prince?All Helium has been plunged in sorrow. Terrible have been thecalamities that have befallen your great-grandsire's mightynation since the fatal day that saw you leave our midst."

"Grieve not, my good Hor Vastus," cried Carthoris,"since I bring not back myself alone to cheer my mother'sheart and the hearts of my beloved people, but also onewhom all Barsoom loved best--her greatest warrior and hersaviour--John Carter, Prince of Helium!"

Hor Vastus turned in the direction indicated by Carthoris,and as his eyes fell upon me he was like to have collapsedfrom sheer surprise.

"John Carter!" he exclaimed, and then a sudden troubledlook came into his eyes. "My Prince," he started, "wherehast thou--" and then he stopped, but I knew the questionthat his lips dared not frame. The loyal fellow would notbe the one to force from mine a confession of the terribletruth that I had returned from the bosom of the Iss, theRiver of Mystery, back from the shore of the Lost Sea of Korus,and the Valley Dor.

"Ah, my Prince," he continued, as though no thought hadinterrupted his greeting, "that you are back is sufficient,and let Hor Vastus' sword have the high honour ofbeing first at thy feet." With these words the noblefellow unbuckled his scabbard and flung his sword uponthe ground before me.

Could you know the customs and the character of redMartians you would appreciate the depth of meaning thatthat simple act conveyed to me and to all about us whowitnessed it. The thing was equivalent to saying, "Mysword, my body, my life, my soul are yours to do with asyou wish. Until death and after death I look to you alonefor authority for my every act. Be you right or wrong,your word shall be my only truth. Whoso raises his handagainst you must answer to my sword."

It is the oath of fealty that men occasionally pay to aJeddak whose high character and chivalrous acts haveinspired the enthusiastic love of his followers. Never hadI known this high tribute paid to a lesser mortal. There wasbut one response possible. I stooped and lifted the swordfrom the ground, raised the hilt to my lips, and then,stepping to Hor Vastus, I buckled the weapon upon himwith my own hands.

"Hor Vastus," I said, placing my hand upon his shoulder,"you know best the promptings of your own heart. That Ishall need your sword I have little doubt, but accept fromJohn Carter upon his sacred honour the assurance that hewill never call upon you to draw this sword other than inthe cause of truth, justice, and righteousness."

"That I knew, my Prince," he replied, "ere ever I threwmy beloved blade at thy feet."

As we spoke other fliers came and went between theground and the battleship, and presently a larger boat waslaunched from above, one capable of carrying a dozenpersons, perhaps, and dropped lightly near us. As she touched,an officer sprang from her deck to the ground, and, advancingto Hor Vastus, saluted.

"Kantos Kan desires that this party whom we have rescued bebrought immediately to the deck of the Xavarian," he said.

As we approached the little craft I looked about for themembers of my party and for the first time noticed thatThuvia was not among them. Questioning elicited the factthat none had seen her since Carthoris had sent her thoatgalloping madly toward the hills, in the hope of carrying herout of harm's way.

Immediately Hor Vastus dispatched a dozen air scouts inas many directions to search for her. It could not bepossible that she had gone far since we had last seen her.We others stepped to the deck of the craft that had been sentto fetch us, and a moment later were upon the Xavarian.

The first man to greet me was Kantos Kan himself. Myold friend had won to the highest place in the navy ofHelium, but he was still to me the same brave comradewho had shared with me the privations of a Warhoondungeon, the terrible atrocities of the Great Games, andlater the dangers of our search for Dejah Thoris withinthe hostile city of Zodanga.

Then I had been an unknown wanderer upon a strangeplanet, and he a simple padwar in the navy of Helium.To-day he commanded all Helium's great terrors of theskies, and I was a Prince of the House of Tardos Mors,Jeddak of Helium.

He did not ask me where I had been. Like Hor Vastus,he too dreaded the truth and would not be the one towrest a statement from me. That it must come some time hewell knew, but until it came he seemed satisfied to butknow that I was with him once more. He greeted Carthorisand Tars Tarkas with the keenest delight, but he askedneither where he had been. He could scarcely keep hishands off the boy.

"You do not know, John Carter," he said to me, "how we ofHelium love this son of yours. It is as though all thegreat love we bore his noble father and his poor motherhad been centred in him. When it became known that hewas lost, ten million people wept."

"What mean you, Kantos Kan," I whispered, "by 'hispoor mother'?" for the words had seemed to carry a sinistermeaning which I could not fathom.

He drew me to one side.

"For a year," he said, "Ever since Carthoris disappeared,Dejah Thoris has grieved and mourned for her lost boy.The blow of years ago, when you did not return from theatmosphere plant, was lessened to some extent by the duties ofmotherhood, for your son broke his white shell that very night."

"That she suffered terribly then, all Helium knew, fordid not all Helium suffer with her the loss of her lord! Butwith the boy gone there was nothing left, and after expeditionupon expedition returned with the same hopeless taleof no clue as to his whereabouts, our beloved Princessdrooped lower and lower, until all who saw her felt that itcould be but a matter of days ere she went to join herloved ones within the precincts of the Valley Dor.

"As a last resort, Mors Kajak, her father, and Tardos Mors,her grandfather, took command of two mighty expeditions,and a month ago sailed away to explore every inch ofground in the northern hemisphere of Barsoom. For twoweeks no word has come back from them, but rumours wererife that they had met with a terrible disaster andthat all were dead.

"About this time Zat Arras renewed his importunities forher hand in marriage. He has been for ever after her sinceyou disappeared. She hated him and feared him, but withboth her father and grandfather gone, Zat Arras was verypowerful, for he is still Jed of Zodanga, to which position,you will remember, Tardos Mors appointed him after youhad refused the honour.

"He had a secret audience with her six days ago. Whattook place none knows, but the next day Dejah Thorishad disappeared, and with her had gone a dozen of herhousehold guard and body servants, including Sola thegreen woman--Tars Tarkas' daughter, you recall. No wordleft they of their intentions, but it is always thus with thosewho go upon the voluntary pilgrimage from which nonereturns. We cannot think aught than that Dejah Thoris hassought the icy bosom of Iss, and that her devoted servantshave chosen to accompany her.

"Zat Arras was at Helium when she disappeared. He commandsthis fleet which has been searching for her since.No trace of her have we found, and I fear that it bea futile quest."

While we talked, Hor Vastus' fliers were returning tothe Xavarian. Not one, however, had discovered a trace ofThuvia. I was much depressed over the news of DejahThoris' disappearance, and now there was added the furtherburden of apprehension concerning the fate of this girl whomI believed to be the daughter of some proud Barsoomianhouse, and it had been my intention to make every effortto return her to her people.

I was about to ask Kantos Kan to prosecute a furthersearch for her when a flier from the flagship of the fleetarrived at the Xavarian with an officer bearing a messageto Kantos Kan from Arras.

My friend read the dispatch and then turned to me.

"Zat Arras commands me to bring our 'prisoners' beforehim. There is naught else to do. He is supreme in Helium,yet it would be far more in keeping with chivalry and goodtaste were he to come hither and greet the saviour ofBarsoom with the honours that are his due."

"You know full well, my friend," I said, smiling, "thatZat Arras has good cause to hate me. Nothing would pleasehim better than to humiliate me and then to kill me. Nowthat he has so excellent an excuse, let us go and see if hehas the courage to take advantage of it."

Summoning Carthoris, Tars Tarkas, and Xodar, we enteredthe small flier with Kantos Kan and Zat Arras' officer, andin a moment were stepping to the deck of Zat Arras' flagship.

As we approached the Jed of Zodanga no sign of greetingor recognition crossed his face; not even to Carthorisdid he vouchsafe a friendly word. His attitude was cold,haughty, and uncompromising.

"Kaor, Zat Arras," I said in greeting, but he did not respond.

"Why were these prisoners not disarmed?" he asked to Kantos Kan.

"They are not prisoners, Zat Arras," replied the officer.

"Two of them are of Helium's noblest family. Tars Tarkas,Jeddak of Thark, is Tardos Mors' best beloved ally. Theother is a friend and companion of the Prince of Helium--that is enough for me to know."

"It is not enough for me, however," retorted Zat Arras."More must I hear from those who have taken the pilgrimagethan their names. Where have you been, John Carter?"

"I have just come from the Valley Dor and the Land ofthe First Born, Zat Arras," I replied.

"Ah!" he exclaimed in evident pleasure, "you do notdeny it, then? You have returned from the bosom of Iss?"

"I have come back from a land of false hope, from avalley of torture and death; with my companions I haveescaped from the hideous clutches of lying fiends. I havecome back to the Barsoom that I saved from a painlessdeath to again save her, but this time from death in itsmost frightful form."

"Cease, blasphemer!" cried Zat Arras. "Hope not tosave thy cowardly carcass by inventing horrid lies to--"But he got no further. One does not call John Carter"coward" and "liar" thus lightly, and Zat Arras should haveknown it. Before a hand could be raised to stop me, I wasat his side and one hand grasped his throat.

"Come I from heaven or hell, Zat Arras, you will findme still the same John Carter that I have always been; nordid ever man call me such names and live--without apologizing." And with that I commenced to bend him back acrossmy knee and tighten my grip upon his throat.

"Seize him!" cried Zat Arras, and a dozen officers sprangforward to assist him.

Kantos Kan came close and whispered to me.

"Desist, I beg of you. It will but involve us all, for Icannot see these men lay hands upon you without aiding you.My officers and men will join me and we shall have amutiny then that may lead to the revolution. For the sake ofTardos Mors and Helium, desist."

At his words I released Zat Arras and, turning my backupon him, walked toward the ship's rail.

"Come, Kantos Kan," I said, "the Prince of Heliumwould return to the Xavarian."

None interfered. Zat Arras stood white and tremblingamidst his officers. Some there were who looked upon himwith scorn and drew toward me, while one, a man longin the service and confidence of Tardos Mors, spoke to mein a low tone as I passed him.

"You may count my metal among your fighting-men,John Carter," he said.

I thanked him and passed on. In silence we embarked,and shortly after stepped once more upon the deck of theXavarian. Fifteen minutes later we received orders from theflagship to proceed toward Helium.

Our journey thither was uneventful. Carthoris and I werewrapped in the gloomiest of thoughts. Kantos Kan was sombrein contemplation of the further calamity that might fall uponHelium should Zat Arras attempt to follow the age-old precedentthat allotted a terrible death to fugitives from the ValleyDor. Tars Tarkas grieved for the loss of his daughter. Xodaralone was care-free--a fugitive and outlaw, he could be noworse off in Helium than elsewhere.

"Let us hope that we may at least go out with good redblood upon our blades," he said. It was a simple wishand one most likely to be gratified.

Among the officers of the Xavarian I thought I coulddiscern division into factions ere we had reached Helium.There were those who gathered about Carthoris and myselfwhenever the opportunity presented, while about an equalnumber held aloof from us. They offered us only the mostcourteous treatment, but were evidently bound by theirsuperstitious belief in the doctrine of Dor and Iss and Korus.I could not blame them, for I knew how strong a hold acreed, however ridiculous it may be, may gain upon anotherwise intelligent people.

By returning from Dor we had committed a sacrilege;by recounting our adventures there, and stating the factsas they existed we had outraged the religion of their fathers.We were blasphemers--lying heretics. Even those who stillclung to us from personal love and loyalty I think did soin the face of the fact that at heart they questioned ourveracity--it is very hard to accept a new religion for an old,no matter how alluring the promises of the new may be; but toreject the old as a tissue of falsehoods without being offeredanything in its stead is indeed a most difficult thing to askof any people.

Kantos Kan would not talk of our experiences among the thernsand the First Born.

"It is enough," he said, "that I jeopardize my life hereand hereafter by countenancing you at all--do not ask meto add still further to my sins by listening to what I havealways been taught was the rankest heresy."

I knew that sooner or later the time must come whenour friends and enemies would be forced to declarethemselves openly. When we reached Helium there must bean accounting, and if Tardos Mors had not returned I fearedthat the enmity of Zat Arras might weigh heavily againstus, for he represented the government of Helium. To takesides against him were equivalent to treason. The majorityof the troops would doubtless follow the lead of theirofficers, and I knew that many of the highest and mostpowerful men of both land and air forces would cleave toJohn Carter in the face of god, man, or devil.

On the other hand, the majority of the populaceunquestionably would demand that we pay the penalty ofour sacrilege. The outlook seemed dark from whateverangle I viewed it, but my mind was so torn with anguishat the thought of Dejah Thoris that I realize now that Igave the terrible question of Helium's plight but scantattention at that time.

There was always before me, day and night, a horriblenightmare of the frightful scenes through which I knewmy Princess might even then be passing--the horrid plantmen--the ferocious white apes. At times I would covermy face with my hands in a vain effort to shut out thefearful thing from my mind.

It was in the forenoon that we arrived above the mile-high scarlet tower which marks greater Helium from hertwin city. As we descended in great circles toward thenavy docks a mighty multitude could be seen surging in thestreets beneath. Helium had been notified by radio-aerogramof our approach.

From the deck of the Xavarian we four, Carthoris, TarsTarkas, Xodar, and I, were transferred to a lesser flierto be transported to quarters within the Temple of Reward.It is here that Martian justice is meted to benefactor andmalefactor. Here the hero is decorated. Here the felonis condemned. We were taken into the temple from thelanding stage upon the roof, so that we did not pass amongthe people at all, as is customary. Always before I hadseen prisoners of note, or returned wanderers of eminence,paraded from the Gate of Jeddaks to the Temple of Rewardup the broad Avenue of Ancestors through dense crowds ofjeering or cheering citizens.

I knew that Zat Arras dared not trust the people near tous, for he feared that their love for Carthoris and myselfmight break into a demonstration which would wipe outtheir superstitious horror of the crime we were to becharged with. What his plans were I could only guess, butthat they were sinister was evidenced by the fact that onlyhis most trusted servitors accompanied us upon the flier tothe Temple of Reward.

We were lodged in a room upon the south side of thetemple, overlooking the Avenue of Ancestors down whichwe could see the full length to the Gate of Jeddaks, fivemiles away. The people in the temple plaza and in thestreets for a distance of a full mile were standing as closepacked as it was possible for them to get. They were veryorderly--there were neither scoffs nor plaudits, and whenthey saw us at the window above them there were many whoburied their faces in their arms and wept.

Late in the afternoon a messenger arrived from Zat Arrasto inform us that we would be tried by an impartial bodyof nobles in the great hall of the temple at the 1stzode* on the following day, or about 8:40 A.M. Earth time.

*Wherever Captain Carter has used Martian measurements of time,distance, weight, and the like I have translated them into as nearly theirequivalent in earthly values as is possible. His notes contain manyMartian tables, and a great volume of scientific data, but since theInternational Astronomic Society is at present engaged in classifying,investigating, and verifying this vast fund of remarkable and valuableinformation, I have felt that it will add nothing to the interest of CaptainCarter's story or to the sum total of human knowledge to maintain a strictadherence to the original manuscript in these matters, while it mightreadily confuse the reader and detract from the interest of the history.For those who may be interested, however, I will explain that the Martianday is a trifle over 24 hours 37 minutes duration (Earth time). This theMartians divide into ten equal parts, commencing the day at about 6 A.M.Earth time. The zodes are divided into fifty shorter periods, each ofwhich in turn is composed of 200 brief periods of time, about equivalentto the earthly second. The Barsoomian Table of Time as here given is buta part of the full table appearing in Captain Carter's notes.