Edmund did not smile.

"I am in earnest," he continued. "Of course you understand that most of
my conclusions are really based upon inference. I cannot grasp all that
she tries to tell me, but her gestures are so speaking, and her eyes so
full of a kind of meaning which seems to force its way into my mind, I
cannot tell how, that I am virtually sure of the correctness of my
interpretation. The expedition, which I am certain was planned by her,
was intended to explore the outskirts of the dark hemisphere. Perhaps
they meant to penetrate within it, but, if so, the stormy belt that we
crossed was too serious an obstacle for them to overcome. Our
encountering them was the greatest stroke of good fortune that we have
yet had. It places us right at the center of affairs."

"Where are they going now?"

"Evidently back to their starting point; which is likely to be a great
city--the capital and metropolis, most probably. The more I think of it
the stronger becomes my conviction that Ala is really, at least in power
and influence, a queen. And you can see for yourselves that it must be a
great and rich empire that she rules, for remember the extraordinary
reception with which she was greeted, the innumerable air ships, the
splendor of everything."

"But are we to be well treated? Is there no danger for us in accompanying
them?"

"If there were danger, it would be hard for us to escape from it now; but
why should there be danger? We did not kill the Esquimaux that our polar