And in the biggest canoe house, the club house of the stags, where no Mary might come under penalty of death by torture, the
captives were stored.
In the mean time Le Balafre moved with a slow and painful step towards the
captives. He stopped before the person of Hard-Heart, whose faultless form, unchanging eye, and lofty mien, he contemplated long, with high and evident satisfaction.
"Come!" they cried, in a triumphant chorus, and at once sprang from the rocks and surrounded their
captives on all sides.
Ozma was thinking of the time when with Dorothy and her army she marched to the Nome King's underground cavern, beyond the Land of Ev, and forced the old monarch to liberate his
captives, who belonged to the Royal Family of Ev.
"I take the cattle and the
captives. Be thankful that I do not take all your lives also--first, because ye have dared to make war without my word, and secondly, because, having made war, ye have so brought it about that, though ye bring me the body of her I sought, ye do not bring the life."
"Nay, kill me not," said the Nightingale; "but let me free, and I'll tell thee three things far better worth than my poor body." The Labourer let him loose, and he flew up to a branch of a tree and said: "Never believe a
captive's promise; that's one thing.
At this moment the
captive came up, having been until now otherwise engaged, and seeing that they all stood round his companion and that she made no reply to what they addressed to her, he said, "Ladies, this damsel hardly understands my language and can speak none but that of her own country, for which reason she does not and cannot answer what has been asked of her."
He watched his slightest movement, however, with eager eyes; and, as he traced the fine outline of his admirably proportioned and active frame, he endeavored to persuade himself, that, if the powers of man, seconded by such noble resolution, could bear one harmless through so severe a trial, the youthful
captive before him might hope for success in the hazardous race he was about to run.
The swarm of renegades - dock-masters, berthing-masters, gatemen, and such like - appear to nurse an immense distrust of the
captive ship's resignation.
He fell in battle with a company of Abyssinian cavalry that held me
captive. During the fighting I escaped; but I doubt if any of Achmet Zek's men live, and the gold they sought is in the possession of the Abyssinians.
This was my first experience with a Martian watch dog, but it was destined not to be my last, for this fellow guarded me carefully during the time I remained a
captive among these green men; twice saving my life, and never voluntarily being away from me a moment.
- It was but man, I thought, who shed Laurels upon me: and the rush - The torrent of the chilly air Gurgled within my ear the crush Of empires - with the
captive's prayer - The hum of suiters - and the tone Of flattery 'round a sovereign's throne.