He threw himself upon his back and fairly wallowed at my feet; jumped

up and sprang upon me, rolling me upon the ground by his great weight;

then wriggling and squirming around me like a playful puppy presenting

its back for the petting it craves. I could not resist the

ludicrousness of the spectacle, and holding my sides I rocked back and

forth in the first laughter which had passed my lips in many days; the

first, in fact, since the morning Powell had left camp when his horse,

long unused, had precipitately and unexpectedly bucked him off

headforemost into a pot of frijoles.

My laughter frightened Woola, his antics ceased and he crawled

pitifully toward me, poking his ugly head far into my lap; and then I

remembered what laughter signified on Mars--torture, suffering, death.

Quieting myself, I rubbed the poor old fellow's head and back, talked

to him for a few minutes, and then in an authoritative tone commanded

him to follow me, and arising started for the hills.

There was no further question of authority between us; Woola was my

devoted slave from that moment hence, and I his only and undisputed

master. My walk to the hills occupied but a few minutes, and I found

nothing of particular interest to reward me. Numerous brilliantly

colored and strangely formed wild flowers dotted the ravines and from

the summit of the first hill I saw still other hills stretching off

toward the north, and rising, one range above another, until lost in

mountains of quite respectable dimensions; though I afterward found

that only a few peaks on all Mars exceed four thousand feet in height;

the suggestion of magnitude was merely relative.

My morning's walk had been large with importance to me for it had

resulted in a perfect understanding with Woola, upon whom Tars Tarkas

relied for my safe keeping. I now knew that while theoretically a

prisoner I was virtually free, and I hastened to regain the city limits

before the defection of Woola could be discovered by his erstwhile

masters. The adventure decided me never again to leave the limits of

my prescribed stamping grounds until I was ready to venture forth for

good and all, as it would certainly result in a curtailment of my

liberties, as well as the probable death of Woola, were we to be

discovered.

On regaining the plaza I had my third glimpse of the captive girl. She

was standing with her guards before the entrance to the audience

chamber, and as I approached she gave me one haughty glance and turned

her back full upon me. The act was so womanly, so earthly womanly,

that though it stung my pride it also warmed my heart with a feeling of

companionship; it was good to know that someone else on Mars beside

myself had human instincts of a civilized order, even though the

manifestation of them was so painful and mortifying.




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