Loose the bar, Black One; this is a head-man from the Settlement, a brave man." Soon the bar was undone, then Otter bade Peter hold out his wrists while he twisted off the fetters.

Presently they were gone, and in the ecstasy of his recovered liberty the man leaped high into the air, then fell at Otter's feet as though he would embrace them.
"Get up, you fool," said the dwarf roughly, "and if there are any more of the men of Mavoom here, show them to us: quick, or you will soon be fast again." "There should be forty or more," Peter answered, recovering himself, "besides a few women and children.

The rest of us are dead, except the Shepherdess alone, and she is yonder." Then they went down the lines slipping the chains from the Settlement captives.

Soon they had unmanacled ten or more men whom Soa selected, and others stood round them with their hands still chained.

As they went about the work Soa explained something of the position to Peter, who was fortunately a native of intelligence.