“That’s so, he did!” cried Mark.  “I saw him come out of the place just before I lost my senses.  It was a terrible sight, and none of you would believe me when I told you some of the occurrences afterward.”

“You must forgive us for that,” the professor said.  “We have learned much since then.”

“What did Hankos do after he left the ship when it landed in this country?” asked Jack.

“He traveled until he came to this village, which is the chief one of this country,” replied the professor.  “Part of the time he followed us at a distance, being able to travel very fast.”

Mark remembered the strange figure of a giant he had seen on the hill tops several times, and knew that he had been observing the being who had played such a queer part in their lives.

“When he came back among his own people,” went on Mr. Henderson, “they would not receive him at first, believing him to be an impostor.  But Hankos convinced them of his identity and was allowed to don the golden armor, which is the badge of kingship.  He had only been in office for a little while when he heard of the arrival of the strange thing, which turned out to be our ship.  He recognized it from the description, and, learning that we were likely to be sacrificed to the fury and ignorance of the giants, he hurried here and saved our lives.

“He says he can never thank us enough for being the means whereby he was able to get back to his own country, and says the freedom of this whole inner world is ours.  He has given orders that we are to go wherever we like, and none will molest us.  He tells me the land is a wonderful one, compared to our own, and urges us to make a long journey.  He would like to go with us, only, now that he has resumed his natural size, he can not get inside the ship.”

“Hurrah for King Hankos!” cried Jack and the others joined him in a hearty cheer.

The giant in the golden armor evidently understood the compliment which was paid him, for he waved his helmet in the air and responded with a shout of welcome that made the ground tremble.

Hankos waited until the professor had translated all of the story to the other travelers.  Then the genial giant began to talk some more, and the professor listened intently.

“He says,” spoke Mr. Henderson to his friends, “that we will be supplied with all the fruit we want, and with the best of the houses to sleep in on our journey.  He also tells me he has great stores of shining stones and piles of the metal of which his armor is made, and that we are welcome to as much as we want.  If this means unlimited gold and diamonds, we may make our fortunes.”

“Jest let me git ma’ hand on a few sparklers an’ I’ll quit work!” exclaimed Washington.

“I have told him,” the scientist went on, “that we will take advantage of his kind offer.  We will start on our trip in a day or so, after we have looked over the ship to see if it is not damaged.  He tells me the gold and sparkling stones are several thousand miles away, on top of a high mountain.  We will make that our objective point.”