We are many. Your great canoe is a useless wreck; ours are manned by twenty warriors each. You are helpless. We are strong. It is not always thus and this time it is not we who shall be taken prisoners, but you, if you attempt to land.

"But we are not like you, Korsars. We do not want to kill or capture. Go away and we shall not harm you."

"We cannot go away," replied Tanar. "Our ship is helpless. We are only two and our food and water are nearly exhausted. Let us land and remain until we can prepare to return to our own countries."

The warrior turned and conversed with the others in his canoe. Presently he faced Tanar again.

"No," he said; "my people will not permit Korsars to come among us. They do not trust you. Neither do I. If you do not go away we shall take you as prisoners and your fate will be in the hands of the Council of the Chiefs."

"But we are not Korsars," explained Tanar.

The warrior laughed. "You speak a lie," he said. "Do you think that we do not know the ships of Korsar?"

"This is a Korsar ship," replied Tanar; "but we are not Korsars. We were prisoners and when they abandoned their ship in a great storm they left us aboard."

Again the warriors conferred and those in other canoes that had drawn alongside the first joined in the discussion.

"Who are you then?" demanded the spokesman. "I am Tanar of Pellucidar. My father is King of Sari." "We are all of Pellucidar," replied the warrior; "but we never heard of a country called Sari. And the woman-she is your mate?"

"No!" cried Stellara, haughtily. "I am not his mate."

"Who are you? Are you a Sarian, also?"

"I am no Sarian. My father and mother were of Amiocap."

Again the warriors talked among themselves, some seeming to favor one idea, some another.

"Do you know the name of this country?" finally demanded the leading warrior, addressing Stellara.

"No," she replied.

"We were about to ask you that very question," said Tanar.

"And the woman is from Amiocap?" demanded the warrior.

"No other blood flows in my veins," said Stellara, proudly.

"Then it is strange that you do not recognize your own land and your own people," cried the warrior. "This is the island of Amiocap!"

Stellara voiced a low cry of pleased astonishment. "Amiocap!" she breathed softly, as to herself. The tone was a caress, but the warriors in the canoes were too far away to hear her. They thought she was silent and embarrassed because they had discovered her deception.

"Go away!" they cried again.

"You will not send me away from the land of my parents!" cried Stellara, in astonishment.

"You have lied to us," replied the tall warrior. "You are not of Amiocap. You do not know us, nor do we know you."

"Listen!" cried Tanar. "I was a prisoner aboard this ship and, being no Korsar, the girl told me her story long before we sighted this land. She could not have known that we were near your island.