"Those fellows have exchanged their spades for swords," said Raiden. "Where are they going? Are they friends or foes?" "We shall soon know," said Nagato; "for we will take them prisoners." The two men came forward with heads down, to keep the rain from their faces; they supposed the huts to be empty, and ran to them for shelter. "Come, come in! Come and dry yourselves!" cried Raiden, when they were close at hand. "The rain rebounds from your skulls like the water of a cataract from a rock." On hearing his voice, the new arrivals started back, and took to their heels. They were soon overtaken. "What does this mean?" said Raiden. "Why do you run away so quickly? Have you anything to conceal?" "You must let us see what it is," said Nata, with his good-natured laugh. All the sailors had waked; they collected in one hut. The two men were brought before the Prince. Each wore on his head a mushroom-shaped hat, which hid half his face; on the shoulders of each was a rude cloak of unbraided straw, which made him look like a thatched roof. They dripped with rain. "Who are you?" asked Nagato. They looked at the Prince with a bewildered, simple air; one of them stammered out something unintelligible. "Speak more distinctly," said Nagato. "Who are you?" Then the two cried together: "Peasants." Loo, who was sitting on the ground, chin in hand, watching them, burst out laughing. "Peasants!" said he; "monkeys you'd better say. Your assumed simplicity ill conceals your malice." "Why did you try to run away?" said the Prince. "I was afraid," said one, kicking the ground and scratching his head. "I was afraid," repeated the other. "You are not peasants," said the Prince; "why have you two swords hidden in your belt?" "Because--there is war about; it is well to be armed." "There is war about," repeated the other. "Come!" cried Raiden, "speak the truth. We are friends of Hieyas; if you belong to us, you have nothing to fear." One of the men cast a rapid glance at Raiden. "Strip them of their arms and search them," said the Prince to the sailor. "By all the Kamis, but you have fine swords!" exclaimed Raiden; "they must have cost you dear. You must be very rich peasants." "We took them from some dead soldiers." "Then you are thieves!" exclaimed Loo. "What's that?" said the sailor, snatching a paper carefully hidden under the robe of one of the strangers. "As we can't escape, we may as well own the truth; we are messengers," said one man, dropping his stupid look. "That is a letter written to Hieyas by General Attiska." "Very good," said Raiden, handing the letter to Nagato. "If you really serve the same master as we," said the other messenger, "do not keep us any longer; let us finish our errand." "When it stops raining," said Loo. The Prince opened the little paper bag closed at one end with rice paste, and took out the letter. It read as follows:--