“I don’t blame you, professor,” returned Dick. “It was our own free wills that brought both Leo and myself to the Land of Hez. Say no more about it, please.”
As soon as the village was reached, Dick at once apprised Queen Olive of what had happened.
She sympathized with him, and tried to comfort him, at the same time saying:
“There is a possibility that your cousin is not dead. If that is the case, there is but one who could seek him out in the earth’s bowels and find him.”
“Who is that one?” asked Dick, his hopes arising.
“Azurma,” was the reply. “She has claimed him for her husband, and if sent to look for him, she would never come back without him.”
“Send her, then.”
“There will be no need of me sending her. When she hears what has happened she will start at once on her own hook. She has been unable to see Leo since she left him in the dark cavern, the reason being that I ordered her not to do so, in punishment for leading you and your companions from the magic chamber.”
The queen blew a tiny whistle, and a servant appeared.
“Send Azurma here,” said she, in Spanish.