Ah! they were fools; they did not understand that it wants someone cleverer than I to make people so ugly." "Never mind all that," said Leonard, who understood however that the dwarf was talking thus in order to give himself time to think before he answered.

"Show me your mind, Otter." "Baas, what can I say?
I know nothing of the value of that red stone.
I do not know whether this woman, of whom my heart tells me no good, speaks truth or lies about a distant people who live in a fog and worship a god shaped as I am.

None have ever worshipped me, yet there may be a land where I should be deemed worthy of worship, and if so I should like to travel in that land.

But as to the rescue of this Shepherdess from the Nest of the Yellow Devil, I do not know how it can be brought about.

Say, mother, how many of the men of Mavoom were taken prisoners with your mistress ?" "Fifty of them perchance," answered Soa.
"Well now," went on the dwarf, "if we could loose those men and if they are brave we might do something, but there are many _if's_ about it, Baas.