y. But at least we shall have done our best and, if we fail,
shall perish seeking, as in this way or in that it is the lot of all
brave men to do."

"The Master has spoken," said Kari, even more quietly than usual, though
as he spoke I saw his dark eyes flash and a trembling as of joy run down
his body. "Knowing all, he has made his choice, and whatever happens,
being what it is, he will not blame me. Yet because the Master has thus
chosen, I say this--that if we reach my country, and if, perchance,
I become a king there, even more than before I shall be the Master's
servant."

"That is easy to promise now, Kari, but it will be time to talk of it
when we do reach your land," I said, laughing, and asked him when we
were to start.

He replied not yet awhile, as he must make plans, and that in the
meantime I must walk upon the shore so that my legs might grow strong
again. So there every day I walked in the cool of the morning and in the
evening, not going out of sight of the wreck. I went armed and carrying
my big bow, but saw no one, since the natives had been warned that I
should walk and must not be looked upon while I did so. Therefore, even
when I passed through one of their villages of huts built of mud and
thatched with leaves, it seemed to be deserted.

Still, in the end the bow did not come amiss, for one evening, hearing a
little noise in a big tree under which I was about to pass that reminded
me of the purring of a cat, I looked up and saw a great beast of the
tiger sort lying on the bough of the tree and watching me. Then I drew
the bow and sent an arrow through that beast, piercing it from side to
side, and down it came roaring and writhing, and biting at the arrow
till it died.

After this I returned to the ship and told Kari what had happened. He
said it was fortunate I had killed the beast, which was of a very fierce
kind, and if I had not seen it, would have leapt on me as I passed under
the tree. Also he sent natives to skin it who when they saw that it was
pierced through and through by the arrow, were amazed and thought me an
even greater god than before, their own bows being but feeble and their
arrows tipped with bone.

Three days after the killing of this beast we started on our journey
into a land unknown. For a long while before Kari and I had been engaged
in collecting all the knives we could find in the ship, also arrows,
nails, axes, tools of carpentering, clothes, and I know not wh