"And the king's palace?" St. George asked eagerly.
Jarvo lifted his face to the solitary summit light upon the mountain.
"But how does one ascend?" cried St. George.
"By permission of Prince Tabnit," replied Jarvo, "one is borne up by six imperial carriers, trained in the service from birth. One attempting the ascent alone would be dashed in pieces."
"No municipal line of airships?" ventured Amory in slow astonishment.
Jarvo did not quite get this.
"The airships, adôn," he said, "belong to the imperial household and are kept at the summit of Mount Khalak."
"A trust," comprehended Amory; "an absolute monarchy is a bit of a trust, anyhow. Of course, it's sometimes an outraged trust..." he murmured on.
"The adôn," said Jarvo humbly, "will understand that we, I and Akko, have borne great risk. It is necessary that we make our peace with all speed, if that may be. The very walls are the ears of Prince Tabnit, and it is better to be behind those walls. May the gods permit the possible."
"Do you mean to say," asked St. George, "that we too would better look out the prince at once?"