"Well," said he, "so here you are! Why did you lag behind so long? You gave us a great fright." "Because I had a great deal to do," said Loo; "you got through your work before I did." "What have you been about?" "Take that first," said Loo, offering Raiden the severed head; "it 'a as heavy as lead." "What! so you contrived to get hold of that?" "Yes," said Loo, who kept looking behind him; "and they think down yonder that it started off on its travels alone; and so they're all half crazed with fear." They now put their horses to the gallop, to catch up with the Prince and his companions. "Has the boy come back?" asked Nagato. "Yes, master; and he brings you the head of the man who looked so much like you," cried Raiden, with a sort of paternal pride. "That's not all I did," said Loo, still looking back; "see the pink light yonder? Shouldn't you think the sun was rising?" "The sky is really illumined," said the Prince; "I should say it was the reflection from some fire." "That's just what it is," said Loo, clapping his hands; "the woods are burning." "You set them on fire!" cried Raiden. "Did I not swear to avenge our fine boats, which lie in ashes on the beach?" said Loo, with much dignity. "How did you manage it? Tell us all about it," said the sailor. "Ah!" cried Loo, "I never laughed so much in my life! I had no sooner stolen the martyr's head than I heard shouts and cries in all directions. Then I looked for a horse to be ready for flight. Still, I had no idea of running away yet. When I had mounted the beast of my choice, I broke off a pitchy bough, and lit it at a lantern, which I unhooked and threw into the straw of the horse's litter. That straw kindled at once, and the wind fanned my torch to a flame. I started off, setting fire to everything as I went. To my great surprise the soldiers, instead of springing upon me and wringing my neck, fell on their knees when they saw me, stretched out their hands to me, and entreated me to spare them; some taking me for Tatsi-Maki, the dragon of the Typhoons, others for Marisiten, fancying that my horse was the wild boar upon which the God of Battles rides. I nearly split my sides with laughter; and the more I laughed the more frightened they were. So I came through the forest at my ease, firing here a banner, there a dead tree or a bundle of fodder." "I never could have believed that an army could be so alarmed by a child!" cried Raiden, laughing heartily in his turn. "If you had seen them," said Loo, "how they stuttered and shook! And well they might; for every one of them thought that a ghost had stretched out his arm and waved a sword at Hieyas, who instantly fell dead." "Yes," said Nata; "they took us for a legion of ghosts." The light of the burning forest spread across the sky to the zenith. The Prince turned his head and gazed.