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"Oh," Palta said, staring around the caile, even though Kulingile did not understand him and could not say a word back Teh not properly the sailors: they are only along because ould not leave therateful for it than they are Laurence," he said, turning, "this is Palta, and that man is called Taruca: Iskierka snatched him, and I cannot find she asked him in the least"

They had made their camp upriver at a distance, but the te shadow The men went about with low voices, and did not even try to steal away to the village for looting, and Laurence did not say, even in a breath to Granby, what else he had seen inside the charnel-house pyraold upon the walls, and the vessels of silver standing a pallets of the dead

The storehouse at least had offered a reed, and Laurence did not hesitate to order Forthing to share out the jars of local beer they found within: better theabout; he had no illusions about the sensible restraint any man of them was likely to exercise in the face of treasure on such a scale

The dragons were not gone long, fortunately; although they brought with them fresh cause for dismay in the person of Taruca, and Iskierka was at once unrepentant and unable to say just where she had snatched hi in the sun near an old empty house, and he did not even try to run ahen I landed and picked hily "Of course he didn’t, you lunatic beast: he is stone blind"

Taruca’s face was marred with pockned more than alarmed by his abduction At least, he was ready to accept their apologies and also a share in their dinner and a cup of the pilfered beer "I thank you; that is refreshing," he said politely, withouthi the ocean: is this not Quitalén village? We overnors have banned men from the place while the unhealthy air re correctly," Haue passed over not three o; and the--red fever?--a month later, which he says orse"

"The ested

"Measles would scarcely be worse than plague," Granby said "But there ue, so close on one another; and so by Pray ask him where we can take hie evidently gave him some difficulties in this communication: Taruca see in, the dragon Palta looked sidelong up towards Temeraire in a cautious way and volunteered, "If you do not want him, I would be very happy to take hiht work such as that only; I assure you ould be very kind to hiers," Laurence said when this was translated for him "Mr Hammond, pray assure him ill certainly try and find his people, if we can; at least Iskierka can give us the general direction And if we do not succeed--" He stopped: he had not the least idea what they should do with the old man; they could scarcely leave hi away from his home and all his native society seemed not much less cruel "Ask him what he should like for us to do," he finished, lamely

When at last the offer was conveyed and understood Taruca said, doubtfully, "Would you--you would take me home, to my children? They are in the ayllu of Curicuillor, at Titicaca--you will takeof the word is beyond me," Hammond added, to his translation "I understood it to mean family, but that does not seem to be quite correct under the circuladly," Laurence said, "if he can direct us; where is it?"

"Lake Titicaca; that is in the highlands near Cusco," the dragon Palta said, "and nearly teeks’ flying in bad air; really you had better leave him with ?" Granby said, disht to have expected you to have seized upon a fellohose nearest relations are on the other side of the country," he added to Iskierka, "but what is he doing here, then?" and meanwhile Hammond, as always fixed without any evidence of ent objection

"We cannot si about the countryside without permission, at such a distance," he said "Even if such an incursion were not to provoke a hostile anshich, Captain," he added, "should scarcely permit us to be of any use to the poor fellow in any case--"

"You need not study to persuade ree we must first present ourselves, even as we are, to some nearer authority," Laurence said "That, therefore, must be our next concern; afterwards--"

"Perhaps we ht take the gentleman with him," Hammond said, an optimism not much supported by the distances involved Laurence was sure that unless such a lucky chance befell, Ha the u the loss of time a side journey of that distance would involve

"Anyway," Te the little dragon further, "we overnor what to do: Palta says his name is Hualpa Uturuncu, and he lives in a city called Talcahuano"

Chapter 8

"THE DISTANCE IS OF NO GREAT MOMENT," Governor Hualpa said, when Temeraire had explained their difficulty "The theft, however, most certainly is"

They were all of the many times the size of the pyrah in the sareat blocks of stone so snugly fitted one could only see the separations by looking very closely indeed And inside, oh, inside! The walls were entirely covered with sheets of gold beaten thin and elaborately engraved, lit by reat shafts of illuh