Assiduously I fell to work upon the Mahar lock that held my chain.  It was pitifully simple.  A child might have picked it, and a moment later I was free.  The Mahars were now evidently completing their work at the table.  One already turned away and was examining other victims, evidently with the intention of selecting the next subject.

Those at the table had their backs toward me.  But for the creature walking toward us I might have escaped that moment.  Slowly the thing approached me, when its attention was attracted by a huge slave chained a few yards to my right.  Here the reptile stopped and commenced to go over the poor devil carefully, and as it did so its back turned toward me for an instant, and in that instant I gave two mighty leaps that carried me out of the chamber into the corridor beyond, down which I raced with all the speed I could command.

Where I was, or whither I was going, I knew not.  My only thought was to place as much distance as possible between me and that frightful chamber of torture.

Presently I reduced my speed to a brisk walk, and later realizing the danger of running into some new predicament, were I not careful, I moved still more slowly and cautiously.  After a time I came to a passage that seemed in some mysterious way familiar to me, and presently, chancing to glance within a chamber which led from the corridor I saw three Mahars curled up in slumber upon a bed of skins.  I could have shouted aloud in joy and relief.  It was the same corridor and the same Mahars that I had intended to have lead so important a role in our escape from Phutra.  Providence had indeed been kind to me, for the reptiles still slept.

My one great danger now lay in returning to the upper levels in search of Perry and Ghak, but there was nothing else to be done, and so I hastened upward.  When I came to the frequented portions of the building, I found a large burden of skins in a corner and these I lifted to my head, carrying them in such a way that ends and corners fell down about my shoulders completely hiding my face.  Thus disguised I found Perry and Ghak together in the chamber where we had been wont to eat and sleep.

Both were glad to see me, it was needless to say, though of course they had known nothing of the fate that had been meted out to me by my judges.  It was decided that no time should now be lost before attempting to put our plan of escape to the test, as I could not hope to remain hidden from the Sagoths long, nor could I forever carry that bale of skins about upon my head without arousing suspicion.  However it seemed likely that it would carry me once more safely through the crowded passages and chambers of the upper levels, and so I set out with Perry and Ghak—­the stench of the illy cured pelts fairly choking me.