ight.

"These are the magic signs!" he cried. "Behold the wisdom of the ages
engraved by seers many thousand years ago!"

"Do you understand it, Mahatma?"

"_I_ understand it? Not I! Only a glimpse of its profound wisdom has
reached my soul."

"Then what good will it do you?"

"I have recorded every detail of the inscription _here_." The old man
tapped his forehead. "The picture of that crown is in my brain like a
photograph. Soon I shall go to Holy India and there in the remote
caves and temples, I shall speak to the masters who are far wiser than
I."

"And will those wise men tell you what it all means?"

"Little by little! Bit by bit!" replied the Mahatma. "Each of these
holy men will be able to interpret a part of the meaning. I shall
visit the cave hermits in the Himalayas and the devotees in the
temples, who recline on beds of spikes. I shall even go to the
fastness of Tibet, where the lamas spend their lives in the search for
truth."

"The temples of India! The Himalayas, with Everest the highest
mountain in the world! The forbidden land of Tibet! What wonderful
sights you will see!"

"Would you like to see Holy India, my son?"

"Would I? Say, I'd like nothing better than to be there with you!"
exclaimed Dick. "It would be a real adventure to visit that land of
mystery."

"The crystal has told me that you shall accompany me," said the Hindu.
"And that before many moons."

"Do you mean it?"

"I have spoken."

"But what about my kingdom? How can I leave these people? They trust
me. They need me."

"Raal is a strong warrior," said the Mahatma. "He can rule while you
are gone, and Kulki, the clever Gorol can be his chief adviser."

"I hate to go away and leave them to the mercy of Arab slave raiders,"
said Dick. "After all, being a king, means responsibility. Suppose
Jess Slythe should start another raid while I am gone. He could wipe
out the whole population."

"That evil man will not trouble your land. Certainly not for a long
time. Perhaps never. So you are free to fly in the great plane and
see the wonders of Holy India."

"Great!" exclaimed Dick. "And what about Ray and Dan? Will they come
too?"

"My crystal says they will be with us. Also your father and Rex
Carter."

"I'd like to take Kurt and Kurul along," said Dick. "It would be
interesting to have Stone-Age men in the party. I'd like to know what
they would do in the great world beyond the desert a