"Our emperor has come back," he announced. "Come hither and--"

But he got no further, for the shouts that broke from those savage
throats would have drowned the voice of heaven itself. I had never
guessed how much they thought of me. As they clustered around, almost
fighting for the chance to kiss my hand, I saw again the vision of
empire which I had thought faded forever.

With such as these I could conquer a world. With such as these I WOULD
conquer one! If the Sarians had remained loyal, so too would the
Amozites be loyal still, and the Kalians, and the Suvians, and all the
great tribes who had formed the federation that was to emancipate the
human race of Pellucidar.

Perry was safe with the Mezops; I was safe with the Sarians; now if
Dian were but safe with me the future would look bright indeed.

It did not take long to outline to Ghak all that had befallen me since
I had departed from Pellucidar, and to get down to the business of
finding Dian, which to me at that moment was of even greater importance
than the very empire itself.

When I told him that Hooja had stolen her, he stamped his foot in rage.

"It is always the Sly One!" he cried. "It was Hooja who caused the
first trouble between you and the Beautiful One.

"It was Hooja who betrayed our trust, and all but caused our recapture
by the Sagoths that time we escaped from Phutra.

"It was Hooja who tricked you and substituted a Mahar for Dian when you
started upon your return journey to your own world.

"It was Hooja who schemed and lied until he had turned the kingdoms one
against another and destroyed the federation.

"When we had him in our power we were foolish to let him live. Next
time--"

Ghak did not need to finish his sentence.

"He has become a very powerful enemy now," I replied. "That he is
allied in some way with the Mahars is evidenced by the familiarity of
his relations with the Sagoths who were accompanying me in search of
the great secret, for it must have been Hooja whom I saw conversing
with them just before we reached the valley. Doubtless they told him
of our quest and he hastened on ahead of us, discovered the cave and
stole the document. Well does he deserve his appellation of the Sly
One."

With Ghak and his head men I held a number of consultations. The
upshot of them was a decision to combine our search for Dian with an
attempt to rebuild the crumbled federation. To this end twenty
warriors were despa