In the meantime the air ship rose to a height
greater than that of the nearby mountains, and then more slowly
approached them. At last it began to circle, as if an uncertainty
concerning the route to be chosen had arisen, and I observed, for we
could look all about in spite of our bonds, that Ingra and one who
appeared to be his lieutenant were engaged in an animated discussion.
They pointed this way and that, and the debate grew every moment more
earnest. This continued for a long time, while the ship hovered, running
slowly in the wide circles. We could not then know how much this
hesitation meant for us. If Ingra had been as rapid in his decision now
as he was in the act of taking us prisoners, this history would never
have been written. I watched Edmund, and saw that his attention was
absorbed by what our captors were about, and even in that emergency I
felt a touch of comfort through my unfailing confidence in our leader.
Finally a decision seemed to have been reached, and we set off over the
crest of the range. As its huge peaks towered behind us and we descended
nearer the ground, my heart sank again, for now we were cut off from the
world beyond, and in the improbable event of any pursuit, how could the
pursuers know what course we had taken, or where to look for us? And,
then, who would pursue? Juba could do nothing, Ala was far away at the
capital, even supposing that she should be disposed to set out in search
of us, and hours, perhaps days, must elapse before she could be informed
of what had happened.
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