Rising, I found I was painfully stiff--as muscle-bound as though I had actually trudged many miles. Larry, imitating me, gave an involuntary groan. "Faith, _mavourneen_," he said to Lakla, relapsing unconsciously into English, "your roads would never wear out shoe-leather, but they've got their kick, just the same!" She understood our plight, if not his words; gave a soft little cry of mingled pity and self-reproach; forced us back upon the cushions. "Oh, but I'm sorry!" mourned Lakla, leaning over us. "I had forgotten--for those new to it the way is a weary one, indeed--" She ran to the doorway, whistled a clear high note down the passage. Through the hangings came two of the frog-men. She spoke to them rapidly. They crouched toward us, what certainly was meant for an amiable grin wrinkling the grotesque muzzles, baring the glistening rows of needle-teeth. And while I watched them with the fascination that they never lost for me, the monsters calmly swung one arm around our knees, lifted us up like babies--and as calmly started to walk away with us! "Put me down! Put me down, I say!" The O'Keefe's voice was both outraged and angry; squinting around I saw him struggling violently to get to his feet. The _Akka_ only held him tighter, booming comfortingly, peering down into his flushed face inquiringly. "But, Larry--darlin'!"--Lakla's tones were--well, maternally surprised--"you're stiff and sore, and Kra can carry you quite easily." "I _won't_ be carried!" sputtered the O'Keefe. "Damn it, Goodwin, there are such things as the unities even here, an' for a lieutenant of the Royal Air Force to be picked up an' carted around like a--like a bundle of rags--it's not discipline! Put me down, ye _omadhaun_, or I'll poke ye in the snout!" he shouted to his bearer--who only boomed gently, and stared at the handmaiden, plainly for further instructions. "But, Larry--dear!"--Lakla was plainly distressed--"it will _hurt_ you to walk; and I don't _want_ you to hurt, Larry--darlin'!" "Holy shade of St. Patrick!" moaned Larry; again he made a mighty effort to tear himself from the frog-man's grip; gave up with a groan. "Listen, _alanna_!" he said plaintively. "When we get to Ireland, you and I, we won't have anybody to pick us up and carry us about every time we get a bit tired. And it's getting me in bad habits you are!" "Oh, _yes_, we will, Larry!" cried the handmaiden, "because many, oh, many, of my _Akka_ will go with us!" "Will you tell this--BOOB!--to put me down!" gritted the now thoroughly aroused O'Keefe. I couldn't help laughing; he glared at me. "Bo-oo-ob?" exclaimed Lakla. "Yes, boo-oo-ob!" said O'Keefe, "an' I have no desire to explain the word in my present position, light of my soul!" The handmaiden sighed, plainly dejected. But she spoke again to the _Akka_, who gently lowered the O'Keefe to the floor. "I don't understand," she said hopelessly, "if you want to walk, why, of course, you shall, Larry." She turned to me.