Here, a bystander, feeling something grazing his side, looked down;
and perceived Znobbi's hand in clandestine vicinity to the pouch at
his girdle-end.

Whereupon the crowd shouted, "A thief! a thief!" And with a loud voice
the starred chief cried--"Seize him, people, and tie him to yonder tree."

And they seized, and tied him on the spot.

"Ah," said Media, "this chief has something to say, after all;
he pinions a king at a word, though a plebeian takes him by the nose.
Beshrew me, I doubt not, that spear of his, though without a tassel,
is longer and sharper than mine."

"There's not so much freedom here as these freemen think," said
Babbalanja, turning; "I laugh and admire."



CHAPTER LVII
They Hearken Unto A Voice From The Gods


Next day we retraced our voyage northward, to visit that section of
Vivenza.

In due time we landed.

To look round was refreshing. Of all the lands we had seen, none