'Are you sure—quite sure, Tom? This may be a serious matter! You should not say such a thing unless you are absolutely certain.'
'As sure as I am that me 'ead be on me shoulders, sir. The ugly swab! As if anybody could mistake 'is phizog!'
Gerald reflected a while, then said, 'Say nothing to any one else about this, Tom. Keep your own counsel. There may be nothing in it, and if you talk it may get you into trouble.'
'Ay, ay, sir! I shall be dumb about it onless ye tells me t' speak.'
Presently a loud flourish of trumpets and sounds of shouting and a general commotion announced that the king himself was approaching. Monck led the visitors to a post of vantage outside the palace, from which they could obtain a good view.
The sun was near to setting, and its beams cast a lurid glow over the scene—redder than any sunset they had ever seen on Earth.
Below them was a vast plain with a few low hills, upon and round which was the great city of Ivenia, looking vast and glorious, with magnificent buildings extending in one direction pile upon pile almost as far as the eye could see. On the other side lay the sea, glistening like molten copper.
The king's air-yacht—larger and more beautiful even than the one they had come in—was seen rising majestically towards them, surrounded by hundreds of smaller air-craft, their decorations glittering and sparkling in the sun's red beams. There was no booming of cannon, as would be the case with us, but a loud, musical, humming sound, which was curiously agreeable to the ear.
When in due course Ivanta landed upon the height, a few of the craft accompanying him landed also, and from them poured out a stream of people splendidly arrayed, who trooped after him in procession to attend the reception in the palace.
This was a repetition upon a larger scale, so to speak, of the function at which Prince Alondra had presided, Ivanta this time occupying the throne himself, with the young prince beside him. As before, places of honour were given to the strangers, amongst whom the Zuanstrooms were now included; and the proceedings were even more enthusiastic and of longer duration, winding up with a grand banquet. It would take too long to describe all that followed. It must suffice to say that the two chums voted it the most wonderful entertainment that they had ever heard of or that imagination could picture; and when at last they lay down together for their night's rest they were both about tired out.