"Is there any chance of our being rescued by your people ?" He shook his head.

"None.

What we have seen to-day is but a small part of the army of the Black Kendah, one regiment of foot and one of horse, that are always ready.

By to-morrow thousands will be gathered, many more than we can hope to deal with in the open and still less in their strongholds, also Harut will believe that we are dead.

Unless the Child saves us we shall be left to our fate." "Then it seems that we are indeed in a pit, as that black brute of a king puts it, Marut, and if he does what he says and rushes us at sundown, everyone of us will be killed.