I CARRY THE COLLAR OF PRESTER JOHN I ran till my breath grew short, for some kind of swift motion I had to have or choke.

The events of the last few minutes had inflamed my brain.

For the first time in my life I had seen men die by violence--nay, by brutal murder.

I had put my soul into the blow which laid out Henriques, and I was still hot with the pride of it.

Also I had in my pocket the fetich of the whole black world; I had taken their Ark of the Covenant, and soon Laputa would be on my trail.