They had come to the cave of ice.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
AGAIN IN THE WORLD OF LIGHT.
The ice-cutters, for it were they, had never before in their lives been surprised. They saw coming out of that inky blackness, from far up that windy quarter, where none of their people had ever dared to go, a party of half-clad human beings, who staggered on as if intoxicated and, at last, falling at their feet. They hurriedly gathered about the fallen fugitives and throwing restoratives in their faces, tried to make out who they were and if they were any of their people, but these had been rolled about the floor of the windy cavern so long, that what with bruises and dirt, they were unrecognizable. Onrai, who still had enough life left to whisper a few words, motioned for one of the men to stoop; the man did so and started back with still greater surprise, as Onrai said:
“Hurry, get us out of here into the sun. Don’t you know me? I am Onrai.”
The man could not speak for a moment, but then, regaining his senses, said:
“It is Onrai, the King, and his guests; hurry or they will perish.”
In an instant those about them began to take from their bodies the warm garments and place them about the half-frozen bodies of our friends. Then, taking them in their strong arms, they hurried towards the entrance of the cave. This was soon reached, and in the villa just outside, the attendants were soon working hard with their benumbed and bruised bodies. They were first plunged in a bath of warm water and then rubbed down thoroughly; then their wounds were dressed, after which they were placed on comfortable couches and made to rest. The poor underground native was treated likewise, and a suit of the cool silk was thrown about his body after his wound was dressed. He could not understand why all this was being done to him, but he could appreciate the delicate touches and the comfort which he was deriving from the treatment. Everything was strange to him; the peculiar white light of the sun, the green fields, the great shady trees, the high elephants, which he could see from his apartment stalking about the garden, and this grand house, to which he had been brought. And the food which they had given him was so different from the fish, which had always been his only diet; and the cooling honey wine, which they poured down his throat.
There was comfort in all this though and very shortly, his wound dressed and pain gone, his weary body soothed by the bath and treatment which the natives had given him, he fell asleep at last; his troubles ended, with no care on his wearied mind.
It had been early morning when our friends had emerged from the cave and after being thoroughly revived, they fell asleep and it was late in the evening before they awakened.
“Onrai,” said Harry, “will you ask one of the attendants what day this is?”