or at least a couple of miles,
during which space the land must have dropped nearly four thousand feet,
at a practically uniform gradient. Maskull had seen nothing like this
immense slide of country anywhere. The hill slope carried an enormous
forest on its back. This forest, however, was different from those they
had hitherto passed through. The leaves of the trees were curled in
sleep, but the boughs were so close and numerous that, but for the
fact that they were translucent, the rays of the sun would have been
completely intercepted. As it was, the whole forest was flooded with
light, and this light, being tinged with the colour of the branches,
was a soft and lovely rose. So gay, feminine, and dawnlike was the
illumination, that Maskull's spirits immediately started to rise,
although he did not wish it.

He checked himself, sighed, and grew pensive.

"What a place for languishing eyes and necks of ivory, Maskull!" rasped
Krag mockingly. "Why isn't Sullenbode here?"

Maskull gripped him roughly and flung him against the nearest tree. Krag
recovered himself, and burst into a roaring laugh, seeming not a whit
discomposed.

"Still what I said--was it true or untrue?"

Maskull gazed at him sternly. "You seem to regard yourself as a
necessary evil. I'm under no obligation to go on with you any farther. I
think we had better part."

Krag turned to Gangnet with an air of grotesque mock earnestness.

"What do you say--do we part when Maskull pleases, or when I please?"

"Keep your temper, Maskull," said Gangnet, showing Krag his back. "I
know the man better than you do. Now that he has fastened onto you
there's only one way of making him lose his hold, by ignoring him.
Despise him--say nothing to him, don't answer his questions. If you
refuse to recognise his existence, he is as good as not here."

"I'm beginning to be tired of it all," said Maskull. "It seems as if I
shall add one more to my murders, before I have finished."

"I smell murder in the air," exclaimed Krag, pretending to sniff. "But
whose?"

"Do as I say, Maskull. To bandy words with him is to throw oil on fire."

"I'll say no more to anyone.... When do we get out of this accursed
forest?"

"It's some way yet, but when we're once out we can take to the water,
and you will be able to rest, and think."

"And brood comfortably over your sufferings," added Krag.

None of the three men said anything more until they emerged into the
open day. The