*CHAPTER XXIX.*
*ATTACKED IN THE DARK.*
Presently Malto uttered an exclamation of surprise. He walked a shortdistance up the little watercourse and examined carefully some bushesgrowing on its banks. They seemed to excite both interest and pleasure.
'I know those plants,' he explained to his companions. 'They willprovide us with a very fair and toothsome supper, and they also tell mea story. You wished to know where we had drifted to, and I can now tellyou almost exactly.
'This is not the Great Desert--fortunately, we have not travelled farenough to reach that--but a tract lying upon its borders. We are in aregion situated between the desert and the country of Iraynia, which,'he added slowly, and with some sadness in his tone, 'is my native land.'
'Oh!' said Alondra; 'so you are a native of Iraynia! I have heard agood deal about that country, though I have never been there. Was therenot some great fuss or trouble there some years ago, before myfather'----
'Before King Ivanta allowed the tyrant Agrando to annex it, would yousay? Yes, Prince, there was. And thereby hangs a tale. I will nottell it to you now, however--it will keep for another time; but I maysay that it is a tale of terrible, almost incredible wrong, andtreachery, and wickedness. It is that great wrong which I wished toinduce King Ivanta to inquire into, in order that the memory of a goodman's name may be cleared from dishonour. That man was my father,Prince; and that was the reward I was hoping to win from King Ivanta.Now you will understand why I said I could not share my reward, if Iobtained what I hoped for, with any one else!'
There were notes of deep feeling and sadness in the young fellow's voiceas he spoke in low, incisive tones, turning his face away the while asthough afraid he might break down.
There was a pause; then Alondra said gently and sympathetically, 'I amsorry, indeed, that you have such a heavy trouble to bear. Later on youshall give me fuller particulars, and I will myself lay them before myfather. He is just and fearless in punishing where wrong has been done,and if he finds, on investigation, that your story is true, I am certainhe will right you, and the memory of your father, and punish thewrongdoers.'
'He will have to fight to maintain his own position ere that can comeabout, I fear!' rejoined Malto gravely. 'But I thank you, Prince, allthe same, for your sympathy and your promise. Another day I will, as yousay, give you the details--when the time comes. Let me now explain howwe are situated here. We are in a desolate territory known as Kubandia.It is nothing but a maze of arid rocks and mountains, and wild, gloomygorges and valleys, almost waterless, but not so bad, in that respect,as the Great Desert which lies beyond. For the reasons I have mentionedthe tract has a bad name, and also for another--that there are bands ofreckless outlaws who have made it their fastness. They are, I believe,for the most part remnants or descendants of men who were originallyhonest patriots--men who were driven into exile by Agrando's heavy handwhen he took over the government of the country. Now, I fear, they are,most of them, no better than brigands and unscrupulous adventurers. Itis said that there are many bands, under different heads, but alldirected by one leader--a clever, daring chief, of whom wild tales aretold. His name is Fumenta; and it is a name held in terror by Agrando'sfollowers. But for this man's wonderful genius and bravery, it isbelieved these brigands would all have been exterminated before this.He has, somehow, managed to evade capture for many years, and carry on aguerilla warfare, holding his own in these wild valleys and gorges inspite of all the forces Agrando has sent against him. Such, at least,is what we hear. I myself can say nothing as to this part from my ownknowledge, because I have been brought up in Agrando's city and forcedto be one of his servitors.'
'Naturally, however, you cannot help feeling a certain amount ofsympathy for these outlaws, who are your own countrymen, and who havebeen driven, as you think, perhaps unjustly, into exile, eh?' queriedAlondra, eying the other keenly.
'It may be so--deep down in my mind,' was the quiet answer. 'Certainly,however, I have no sympathy with tales of robbery and murder such as arerelated of these bands. But, of course, they may not be true, or theymay be very much exaggerated. We only hear one side, that told byAgrando's people; and from my own experience I can tell you that it isnot safe to believe all they assert.'
'But how do you know where we are, if, as you say, you only know of allthese things by hearsay?' was Alondra's shrewd query.
'Oh, I have been in these parts before as a boy, and I know that thoseplants yonder are peculiar to this region. You do not find themanywhere else.'
'I see. Well, if they are good to eat, let us try them as soon as wecan. For my part, I am hungry enough to devour anything that is fairlyeatable.'
'We must have a fire. It is the root which is good to eat; and itrequires cooking,' Malto returned. 'I have dug these roots up andcooked them many times when picnicking out here with other youngsters.If you others will get some wood together, and start a fire, I will soonhave a first-rate supper ready for you.'
The young fellow proved as good as his word, and some half-hour later,just as darkness fell, they were all sitting round a cheerful fire,discussing a very agreeable meal off something which had a flavour notunlike baked potatoes.
'Humph! Not a bad thing to fall back upon in a wilderness like this!'Jack declared. 'And what are we going to do afterwards? How are we toget back to our friends?'
'That is not easy to say,' Malto answered soberly. 'We must have passedright over my country to get here, and that alone means two or threehundred miles. It is a land which is full of Agrando's followers, andyou may be sure that his airships will, by this time, be cruising aboutin search of us.'
'That sounds cheerful! Looks as if we shall have to stay here and do abit of outlaw business on our own account!' cried Jack.
Malandris glanced at him with a very grave expression in his eyes.'Your remark exactly describes the position, young sir, though spoken,doubtless, half in jest. I am sorry to have to say it, for it is not atrifling matter. For myself, I accept it as preferable to the fate fromwhich you all so pluckily aided to rescue me. But it grieves me that Ishould live to see the son of the good and wise King Ivanta in theposition of a hunted fugitive!'
Alondra started and flushed up at these plain words. But there was inthe elder man's eyes a look so thoroughly honest and kindly that it wasimpossible to take offence.
'Perhaps such an experience will do me no harm,' he answered, after aminute's thought. 'That is, provided it ends in the right way. It isbetter than passing the time in Agrando's palace as his captive. Myfather is sure to rescue us in his own good time. He will follow us upand find us out, wherever we are, and the punishment he will inflict onhis daring enemies will be terrible. Does Agrando hug to himself thenotion that he can pit himself against his overlord?' Alondra continued,with a proud curl of his lip. 'Why, where is his fleet? What means hashe of resisting my father's power?'
'He has been making secret preparations ever since his return from histrip to the evening star. I feel sure of that!' Malto declared.
'Why don't you try a wireless message?' Jack asked of Alondra.
The young prince shook his head. 'It is useless. The little instrumentyou saw does not carry far enough,' he explained. 'Monck Affelda cannothear me unless he is within a hundred miles. But you may be sure of onething, the news of all that has happened has before this been flashedthrough to my father, and he is already on his way to our assistance inthe _Ivenia_. How can Agrando think he can prevail in the end againstsuch a monster of the skies as the _Ivenia_?'
As he spoke these words there was a sudden illumination of the spotwhere they were sitting round their fire, and the sound of voices washeard. Lights were flashed upon them from the air above, dazzling theireyes and rendering it impossible to make out what had happened or whothe speakers were. But the words were unmistakable; some one had calledout in harsh, hoarse tones, 'Surrender! You are my prisoners! I
f youmake any attempt at resistance you are all dead men!'