"And we come in peace," I added.
"And may peace walk with you," he said half-derisively--"if the Shining One wills it!" He considered us again.
"Show me, strangers, where you came through the rock," he commanded.
We led the way to where we had emerged from the well of the stairway.
"It was here," I said, tapping the cliff.
"But I see no opening," he said suavely.
"It closed behind us," I answered; and then, for the first time, realized how incredible the explanation sounded.

The derisive gleam passed through his eyes again.

But he drew his poniard and gravely sounded the rock.
"You give a strange turn to our speech," he said.

"It sounds strangely, indeed--as strange as your answers." He looked at us quizzically.

"I wonder where you learned it! Well, all that you can explain to the Afyo Maie." His head bowed and his arms swept out in a wide salaam.