The natural draft carried
the smoke into the cavern.
"The place became so filled with smoke that the rats passed out
by the scores from lack of oxygen, for they couldn't get by the
fire in the tunnel-their only means of escape. Later, we simply
went in and dragged out as many as we needed to load into our troop
ships."
"But the parachutes!" exclaimed Kantos Kan. "How did you manage
to get those on their backs or keep them from tearing them off when
the creatures finally became conscious?"
"They did not regain consciousness until the last minute,"
replied the earthman. "We kept the inside cabin of each troop ship
filled with enough smoke to keep the rats unconscious all the way
to Helium. We had plenty of time to attach the parachutes to their
backs. The rats came to in midair after my men shoved them out of
the ships."
John Carter nodded toward the disappearing creatures in the
mountains. "They were very much alive and fighting mad when they
hit the ground, as you saw," added the earthman. "They simply
stepped out of their parachute harnesses when they landed, and
leaped for anyone in sight.
"As for the malagors," he concluded, "they are birds-and birds
on both earth and Mars have no love for snakes or rats. I knew
those malagors would prefer other surroundings when they saw and
smelled their natural enemies in the air around them!"
Dejah Thoris looked up at her chieftain and smiled. "Was there
ever such a man before?" she asked. "Could it be that all earthman
are like you?"
That night all Helium celebrated its victory. The streets of the
city surged with laughing people. The mighty, green warriors of
Thark mingled—in common brotherhood with the fighting legions of
Helium.
In the royal palace was staged a great feast in honor of John
Carter's service to Helium.
Old Tardos Mors, the jeddak, was so choked with feeling at the
miraculous delivery of his city from the hands of their enemy and
the safe return of his granddaughter that he was unable to speak
for some time when he arose at the dining table to offer the
kingdom's thanks to the earthman.
But when he finally spoke, his words were couched with the
simple dignity of a great ruler. The intense gratitude of these
people deeply touched the earthman's heart.
Later that night, John Carter and Dejah Thoris stood alone on a
balcony overlooking the royal gardens.
The moons of Mars circled majestically across the heavens,
causing the shadows of the distant mountains to roll and tumble in
an ever-changing fantasy over the plain and the forest.
Even the shadows of the two people on the royal balcony slowly
merged into one.
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