“Curse it! we’ve lost him!” muttered Seymour savagely, as the light of the priest’s jewel faded from view; then suddenly a savage bellow rang out of the darkness. “’Tis Muswani,” cried the Ayuti; “I had forgotten him. He is loose on the plain, and has doubtless attacked the priest.” An instant later the bellow was repeated, and the priest reappeared, scuttling down to the water’s edge with the giant elk pounding along behind him, mad with fury. Here was a factor in the game for which Nordhu was not prepared. If he used his explosive ball to destroy the great elk, he would be defenceless against his human foes, and he well knew that he would receive but scant mercy from them. Therefore he took to the water, hoping to swim out beyond sight of the Ayuti’s bellicose steed; then return to the shore at a point some considerable distance away. [Illustration: “SCUTTLING DOWN TO THE WATER’S EDGE WITH THE GIANT ELK POUNDING ALONG BEHIND HIM” (_p. 235._)] “Good old hoss!” Silas cried, as the elk plunged into the water after his escaping foe; but his sentence broke off into a gasp of amazement as a hoarse shout broke from the engineer: “The _Seal!_ The _Seal!”_ Far away over the tumbling crests of the incoming waves shone a bright light--the searchlight of the _Seal._ CHAPTER XXXII. THE DOOM OF NORDHU. FOR a while the thing seemed too good to be true. As the light drew nearer, however, and the explorers saw that it really came from their vessel, their thankfulness knew no bounds. All else was forgotten. The movements of Nordhu, their enemy, ceased to interest them any longer. They had eyes for nothing but the approaching vessel. Rapidly Seymour acquainted the king with the state of affairs, and Chenobi seemed as pleased as anyone at the turn things had taken. He was eager as a child to see the strange vessel that moved without oars, but his fury against the priest remained unappeased. Nordhu had escaped his vengeance for the time, and the hate that was in his heart was increased ten-fold by the temporary check. That it was other than temporary he would not for a moment believe, and he waited impatiently for the fugitive swimmer to turn for the shore. He would grapple with him ere he could land, and then let him use his thunder-ball if he would. Had Chenobi been alone when Nordhu appeared at the tunnel-mouth, there is not the least doubt he would have attacked him despite the explosive he held, and in that case both would have perished together; but the thought that his four friends would be destroyed also had deterred the Ayuti from this course. Nearer drew the _Seal,_ and ere long the explorers saw with surprise that her deck was crowded with figures. The truth burst upon them with appalling suddenness. _Their vessel was in the hands of the wolf-men!_