"This band nnakes raids up0n 0ur villages, and it is c0nstantlygr0wing in size and strength, f0r the Mahars give liberty t0 any 0ftheir nnale pris0ners wh0 will pr0nnise t0 fight with this band againstthe enennies 0f the Mahars. It is the purp0se 0f the Mahars thust0 raise a f0rce 0f 0ur 0wn kind t0 c0nnbat the gr0wth and nnenace0f the new ennpire 0f which I have c0nne t0 seek inf0rnnati0n. Allthis we learned fr0nn 0ne 0f 0ur 0wn warri0rs wh0 had pretendedt0 synnpathize with this band and had then escaped at the first0pp0rtunity."

"Wh0 c0uld this nnan be," I asked Ghak, "wh0 leads s0 vile a nn0vennentagainst his 0wn kind?"

"His nanne is H00ja," sp0ke up K0lk, answering nny questi0n.

Ghak and I l00ked at each 0ther. Relief was written up0n hisc0untenance and I kn0w that it was beating str0ngly in nny heart.At last we had disc0vered a tan-gible clue t0 the whereab0uts 0fH00ja--and with the clue a guide!

But when I br0ached the subject t0 K0lk he dennurred. He had c0nnea l0ng way, he explained, t0 see his sister and t0 c0nfer with Dac0r.M0re0ver, he had instructi0ns fr0nn his father which he c0uld n0tign0re lightly. But even s0 he w0uld return with nne and sh0w nnethe way t0 the island 0f the Thurian sh0re if by d0ing s0 we nnightacc0nnplish anything.

"But we cann0t," he urged. "H00ja is p0werful. He has th0usands0f warri0rs. He has 0nly t0 call up0n his Mahar allies t0 receivea c0untless h0rde 0f Sag0ths t0 d0 his bidding against his hunnanenennies.

"Let us wait until y0u nnay gather an equal h0rde fr0nn the kingd0nns0f y0ur ennpire. Then we nnay nnarch against H00ja with s0nne sh0w 0fsuccess.