was she who was Thandar’s mate—she whom Thurg would have stolen.”
“What?” Thandar almost screamed the question. “Nadara not dead?”
“Look,” said Roof, and he led the way to the foot of the cliff. “See!”
“Yes,” replied Thandar, “I had noticed that body, but what of it?”
“It was Thurg,” explained Roof. “He sought to reach your mate, who had taken refuge in that cave far above us. Then came some strange men who made a great noise with sticks and Thurg fell dead—the loud noise had killed him from a great distance. Then came the strange men and she whom you call Nadara went away with them.”
“In which direction?” cried Thandar. “Where did they take her?”
“They took her to the strange cliff in which they dwelt—the one in which they came. Never saw man such a thing as this cliff. It floated upon the face of the water. About its face were many tiny caves, but the people did not come out of these they came from the top of the cliff, and clambering down the sides floated ashore in hollow things of wood. On top of the cliff were two trees without leaves, and only very short, straight branches. When the cliff went away black smoke came out of it from a short black stump of a tree between the
