“Ten days to go and fourteen days to return,” said Harry. “That will take pretty near a month.”
“Yes, it will be fully that long before we return,” said Onrai, “and besides we will return by a different route, which will take us considerably longer. The new route will be over the regular macadamized roads, which, for many miles, are used very infrequently; but they are always kept in first-class repair, so that we will experience no discomforts for having left our onyx-floored avenue.”
“It is surely delightful riding over this perfect avenue,” said Mr. Graham, “everything though is delightful in this fair land. How different from that fearful country far down below us.”
“Probably only to us who know the difference,” said Onrai. “They may have their pleasures and comforts and hopes and Day of Resis. We know only what this man has taught us, and he has told us little.”
Again Onrai had mentioned The Day of Resis. What did it mean?
CHAPTER XXXIV.
AGAIN WITH FRIENDS.
The day came to a close; the stars came out and the cavalcade came nearer its destination. They had traveled now nearly twenty-four hours constantly, and if it were not for meeting their friends, they might wish that the journey would last as long again. It had been more than pleasant and was so restful, after the long tramp underground, that they appreciated it more for this reason. A little longer and they were in sight of the hole through which they had gone into the underground world. It was dark now and they could not see very far through the fields, but near where they thought the hole ought to be, there were lights flickering about. It seemed strange that there should be lights here at this time in the evening, for there was nothing to call them there.
“What do you suppose brings these lights here?” asked Mr. Bruce of Onrai.
“I can’t tell,” said Onrai, “but we will ascertain.”
He gave the leader of the caravan orders to turn into the field on the left and make for the lights. As they came nearer they could see that a number of men were standing about the hole, while others were lying about in the grass as if resting. Near by stood a group of women attendants and standing with them were Enola, Nellie, Mrs. Graham and Sedai. The parade of elephants seemed to attract their attention and they were now watching them closely and had even started to move toward them. The cavalcade stopped, the elephants fell on their haunches and our friends scrambled from their howdahs and ran towards the ladies.