as a defense against frontal attack, for the close-set armlets of

gold upon the left forearm are principally depended upon to ward

off knife, spear, hatchet, or arrow from in front; but against the

greater carnivora and the attacks of several human antagonists,

the shield is utilized to its best advantage and carried by loops

upon the left arm.

Fully equipped, except for a blanket, I followed Chal-az from his

domicile into the dark and deserted alleys of Kro-lu. Silently

we crept along, Nobs silent at heel, toward the nearest portion of

the palisade. Here Chal-az bade me farewell, telling me that he

hoped to see me soon among the Galus, as he felt that "the call

soon would come" to him. I thanked him for his loyal assistance and

promised that whether I reached the Galu country or not, I should

always stand ready to repay his kindness to me, and that he could

count on me in the revolution against Al-tan.

Chapter 7

To run up the inclined surface of the palisade and drop to the

ground outside was the work of but a moment, or would have been but

for Nobs. I had to put my rope about him after we reached the top,

lift him over the sharpened stakes and lower him upon the outside.

To find Ajor in the unknown country to the north seemed rather

hopeless; yet I could do no less than try, praying in the meanwhile

that she would come through unscathed and in safety to her father.

As Nobs and I swung along in the growing light of the coming day,

I was impressed by the lessening numbers of savage beasts the

farther north I traveled. With the decrease among the carnivora,

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