Naya's trusted servant
Makhana."

"Yet I am still Omar," he exclaimed, laughing. "Thy caution is
commendable, Babila, son of Safad, but as the moon groweth old so does
the boy turn youth, and the youth man."

"Thou knowest my name, 'tis true," observed the messenger gravely. "But
where are thy royal jujus; those placed upon thy neck by the great Naya
in the presence of the people?"

"I fell among enemies who burned them."

"The curse of Zomara be upon them," Babila said. "Who were they?"

"The hirelings of our enemy, Samory."

"Then some have already met with their deserts, for three thousand of
them lie here in this valley," and he pointed to the gruesome corpses
scattered upon the grass. "But hast thou no possession to assure me that
thou art actually the long-absent son of our Naya?" he inquired.

"Thou carriest thy caution a little too far in this affair, Babila," Omar
answered smiling. "True, I have lost my jujus, nevertheless I can answer
thee what questions thou puttest to me regarding my youth and my life in
Mo. I know that thou art determined to satisfy thyself that I am actually
the Prince, ere thou admittest us to our kingdom."

"The caution I exercise is my duty to the great Naya and my country,"
Babila answered. "No invader nor intruder hath ever entered Mo, and none
shall while I am chief custodian of its Gate. The bones of many
adventurers lie here in this valley."

"Yes, I know that well," Omar answered good-humouredly. "But what must I
do to satisfy thee?" Then turning to me, he exclaimed in English, "This
is amusing, Scars. I am actually prevented from entering my own country
because I have grown a trifle taller!"

"What sayest thou in a foreign tongue?" Babila inquired, with a quick
look of suspicion.

"I commented upon the absurdity of my situation to my companion,
Scarsmere, who has accompanied me from England," Omar answered frankly.

"Scarsmere," repeated the man from the unknown region. "Scarsmere. And is
he your friend?"

"Yea, my best friend."

"If thou art actually Omar then his friend will assuredly find welcome in
Mo," the man said with courtesy. "But answer the questions I put to thee.
Canst thou tell me anything regarding myself?"

"Well, I think I can," answered my friend with a laugh. "When I was quite
a young lad thou wert one of the guardians of the outer gate of our
palace. Once I was threatened by a ruffianly soldier as I passed, and
thou didst strike him dead wit