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The disembarkation of nearly two hundredwas let down and the sailors gratefully spread out to stretch their legs, and set up a claons stretched out their necks to peer at them with interest and low ht, perhaps of envy In any case, they looked on Teile with a less suspicious eye

"Yes," Churki said, "now they begin to believe ht back one of ht I must be mistaken somehow And of course they are very impressed; you see, there is no reason for you to be distressed that the French are bringing horses and jewels; what is that, to what you have brought?"

Temeraire added to his translation, "I have no notion what she can mean; surely she sees we are quite destitute," and asked her

Churki shook her wings out, with a great jingling noise "Why, all these an to lay out pallets and rig a few rough tents for ainst the cool mountain air, "you will post a watch of trusted men, and let there always be an officer on duty with theuard which he meant for protection in all directions: Laurence was unpleasantly certain that Hae even two hundred ain thereby over the French, in establishing diploone to the authorities; Churki also left thenificant representative But the day wore away around them without an answer, and reat French Grand Chevalier Piccolo ons who bore htered llamas in their talons, to share out as a repast with Genevieve

"I would not o hunting? It is getting late"

But Hammond would not have any of them leave, before some authorization caons, flying alone, provoke a local beast to challenge their presence in the heart of the empire He was still more adamant when Churki at last returned, to inforone home, and some representative of the court would shortly come and see thee," he said, and would have the dragons line thee the est their nuht put on your robes now, Laurence," Teed on by Hammond’s enthusiasm; Laurence could only with difficulty divert hi his own appearance: the talon-sheaths were brought out, and the breastplate polished, and under Roland’s guidance a party of the sailors were forreat fountain at the center of the courtyard to the dragons, and pour it over their backs

"For I cannot but agree with Mr Hammond that we must present a respectable appearance, if we can," Temeraire said defensively, when he had roared in a small way at a few of the sailors who had unwarily expressed objections to being put to this labor, "and I aile and Iskierka and e look, as a party, with all that Curicuillor was kind enough to do for us in the article of clothing You would not wish us to give this Incan nobleust of us, Laurence, surely; and are you certain you would not consider--"

Fortunately, before Temeraire could renew his efforts to push Laurence into the robes, Churki said, "There: he comes now, and look, it is a lord of the Sapa Inca’s own ayllu, himself; did I not pros against his back, looking around the empty courtyard as vainly as the rest of theain?" and drooped his wings, as Maila Yupanqui descended into the square before the so unfriendly," Iskierka said, and made rather a spectacle of herself in Te to Maila, who simpered back at her even while he answered Hammond’s shouted inquiries

"There is certainly soht meet with you, if you wish Perhaps the political officer for Antisuyo: you wish to travel through the jungle, do you not, to this country of Brazil?"

"Yes--yes, of course," Halance at Laurence, "but naturally as I am here, as representative of His Majesty’s Government it is incumbent upon me--it would be inexcusable--not to make my bows to the Sapa Inca: to convey His Majesty’s affections and to bring greetings froreat nation to another; and infor the present circumstances of the war in Europe--"

"Well, you are a man," Maila said dis must be necessary But," he turned to Iskierka, "there is no reason you ht not visit the court, and be presented: the Sapa Inca has heard of your victory in the arena of Talcahuano, and is reat Manca Copacati has not been defeated in battle in twenty-three years, and all would knoas done"

Teh he would not have defeated the Copacati hih he were not the senior dragon of their party--

"Of course I will co in the most absurdly self-satisfied manner, "and meet the Sapa Inca, and I would be happy to explain hoon: it was a great battle, of course, and he was a very dangerous eneo at once?"

"But--" Hammond said, "but--"

"There is no reason to wait," Maila said "The court is lad to see you, if you can co?" Temeraire deo and speak for England--"

"Whyever not!" Iskierka said "If the Sapa Inca does not want to see you, s like trade, and politics, and everything dull, why should I not go instead; unless you o back and forth to the court"

This argument, Temeraire was distressed to see, struck Hammond very forcefully: he said to Iskierka, "You must understand that youfor His Majesty’s Govern even your particular turns of phrase with s be to persuade the Sapa Inca to see me, as His Majesty’s representative--"

"Yes, yes," Iskierka said, with a flip of her tail "Pray lead on," she added to Maila, who inclined his head and leapt aloft, while Temeraire stared after them in astonished betrayal that all the order of the world had so upended itself

"She will not persuade the Sapa Inca to do any such thing," he said stormily to Hammond, "she will not even try; she will only come back and lord it over us that she has been to the court and we have not: you must see that is perfectly clear Oh! To send Iskierka on a diplomatic mission--one would think you had never met her, nor spent ten minutes in her company; I dare say she will lose her temper, and start a fresh war for us"