Toward noon of the fourth day, as we drew near the boundaries of Baigadd, we entered a rocky and uneven country, the well-defined road we had been following cutting and circling through the low hills. When we were well in among the bowlders a frantic shout reached us from around a bend in the road a few spatli ahead.
"That was a cry in our own tongue, Mr. Munn!" exclaimed the professor, coming to a halt. "Did you not hear it? It was certainly a call for help."
"You are right, sir," I answered. "That was a lusty English yell, if I ever heard one."
"It was given by one of our friends, of course."
"No doubt; it is not hard to distinguish a human voice from the bleat of one of these Baigol word-boxes. Possibly the new motive power of the B.&B. Interplanetary has rebelled and is fleeing this way."
"No," answered the professor excitedly, "I do not think that shout came from Gilhooly. It was—— Ah, Mr. Meigs!"
At that instant, J. Archibald Meigs came bounding into sight around the bend. But he was not the well-groomed, richly appareled Mr. Meigs of Earth and the steel car. His only garment was a kirtle.
He must have been surprised at seeing us, but so great was his fear that he did not show it. Panic left no room for any other emotion.
"Quinn! Munn! Save me—save me from the soldiers!"
A few dozen prodigious leaps brought him trembling to our vicinity, and he fell exhausted to his knees.