’It is untrue that they died—at least, as regards most of them. The greater part—some of the most ferocious, terrible creatures amongst them—he nursed with perverted tenderness and care. He has reared them and brought them to maturity. Now his sole use for them is to pit them against any one who happens to incur his anger; which means, of course, simply dooming the hapless wretch to a cruel and terrible death. You have just heard the voice of one; you saw others—monster bats which they call krudias—in the cage below; you have also seen one of the intended victims, and helped me to rescue him at the last moment.’ ’Ay, he sent me there—sentenced me to that awful fate merely in a fit of passing temper,’ Malandris declared. ’My crime was only that I had mistaken an order he gave me!’ ’Horrible! Incredible!’ cried Alondra, his eyes flashing with indignation and disgust. ’You may well say incredible,’ muttered Malto. ’That is why I wished you to see some of the creatures for yourselves, you three, so that King Ivanta might have your testimony to confirm mine. Otherwise, he might think my statements, as you say, incredible. Little did I imagine then, however, that you would witness such a convincing proof or that I should find my friend Malandris in that cage!’ ’And why were you dressed up in that grotesque fashion?’ Alondra asked of Malandris. ’Oh, that is one of Kazzaro’s little jokes! It is a whim of his sometimes to dress his victims up like the creatures they are doomed to fight against.’ ’But he wasn’t there to look on to-day,’ Jack commented. ’I suppose he happened to be particularly busy over something else, or he would have been,’ said Malandris grimly. He shuddered, and looked around half-apprehensively. ’Now you can understand how much depends upon our being able to escape from here, and what it will mean if we fall again into his power.’ Gerald and Jack stared at one another, almost stupefied with horror. ’Did ever two such miscreants exist before, I wonder?’ said Jack. ’How right, Gerald, you were when you called Kazzaro the Ogre!’ ’I am in for it, too, now, of course,’ Malto added. ’They know by this time what I have done; and I shall find no mercy there if I am dragged back into their clutches.’ ’But you sha’n’t be!’ cried Alondra, impulsively. ’I will not allow it! And King Agrando, strong as he may deem himself upon his own ground, dares not attempt to take you against my will.’ Malto and Malandris looked at him in astonishment at this unexpected outburst. ’Your feelings do you credit, young sir,’ said the elder man; ’but I fear your brave words will not avail us much.’ He smiled slightly and sighed. ’But who are you, then, to talk like that?’ exclaimed Malto incredulously. ’This is King Ivanta’s son, Prince Alondra!’ said Jack. *CHAPTER XXV.* *AGRANDO THROWS OFF THE MASK.*