’Our gracious master, who is continually thinking what new thing he can do to please his people, determined to pay a second visit to the Earth specially to secure a large supply. Hence his taking up with Zuanstroom, the "Diamond King." But Zuanstroom was not easy to arrange with. When he learned the actual state of the case, he insisted, as a part of the bargain, that my master should promise to bring him over to Mars for a trip, and take him safely back. Nothing less would satisfy him.’ ’I see,’ said Jack. ’And I suppose his diamonds are on board too—a whole shipload of them, so to speak?’ ’Exactly. The greatest load of treasure, I suppose, that has ever been carried on any ship of the air or the sea.’ ’But,’ said Gerald, ’the Zuanstrooms know all this. Why mustn’t we speak to them about it?’ ’Because, at this point, I come to my story,’ Armeath said, with a half-smile. ’For years I have been experimenting, trying to manufacture precious stones artificially. At last I succeeded in getting diamonds from a certain mineral; only to find, however, that the discovery was almost valueless, because I could not get enough of the particular mineral. I found out that there was some in the island we have been living on, and that was the reason I went there to stay for a time. When, however, I understood what King Ivanta wanted, I told him of my experiments, showed him the results, and he was highly delighted. He said it would be easier and cheaper to manufacture diamonds than to buy them from the Diamond King on his own terms.’ ’But how can that be done, sir, if the necessary material is so scarce?’ asked practical Jack. ’You shall hear. King Ivanta recognised the mineral, and declares that there is plenty of it to be obtained from the planet Saturn. He saw quantities of it when he was there!’ ’Then we are to go to Saturn to obtain a supply; I suppose?’ cried Gerald, full of enthusiasm at the prospect of this new and unexpected addition to their programme of adventure. ’That I cannot yet say,’ replied Armeath. ’We must hear what the king says.’ ’But, sir,’ exclaimed Jack, ’you would not think of leaving us alone—stranded—upon a strange planet! Suppose you never came back!’ ’It is not a pleasant place to visit; I can tell you that much,’ Monck put in. ’Saturn, at the present time, is in the stage which the scientists tell us the Earth was in, ages ago, when the great antediluvian monsters existed. Those monsters—or similar ones—are alive now on Saturn; and terrible creatures they are, I can assure you! The _amalpi_—the unicorn-like animal which hunted you, Master Gerald—is one which we managed to capture and bring back from Saturn. But it is small and almost harmless compared with some of the animals and reptiles we saw there! I do not think I would go there again, Mr Armeath, of my own choice, even for the sake of bushels of diamonds!’