“Shall we go out?” he asked.

“We can’t be much worse off,” replied Mark.  “Let’s chance it.”

So, not without many misgivings, they slid back the portal and stepped out to face the strange and terrible being who had so suddenly come to their rescue.

The giant in the golden armor did not seem surprised to see them.  In fact he acted as though he rather expected them.  He continued to hold up one hand, with the palm, outward, while, with the other, he removed his helmet and bowed low.  Then he cast his sword on the ground and advanced toward the ship.  When within ten feet he sat down on the ground, and this brought his head nearer the earth, so that his auditors could both see and hear him to better advantage.

As soon as the giant saw the travelers were outside their ship he began to speak to them in a voice, which, though he might have meant it to be low and gentle, was like the bellowing of a bull.  At the same time he made many gestures, pointing to the ship, to himself and to Mark.

“What is he saying, professor?” asked Jack.

“I can’t understand all he says,” Mr. Henderson replied.  “He uses some words derived from the Latin and some from the Greek.  But by piecing it out here and there, and by interpreting his motions I am able to get at something.”

“And what is it all about?”

“It is a strange story,” the scientist replied.  “He has only gone about half way through it.  Wait until he finishes and I will tell you.”

The golden-armored giant, who had stopped in his narrative while Jack was speaking, resumed.  His gestures became more rapid, and his words came faster.  Several times Mr. Henderson held up his hand for him to cease, while he puzzled out what was meant.

At one point, the professor seemed much startled, and motioned for the strange being to repeat the last part of his discourse.  When this had been done Mr. Henderson shook his head as though in doubt.

At length the story was finished, and the lone giant, for there were no others in sight now, folded his arms and seemed to await what the professor’s answer might be.  Mr. Henderson turned to the boys, and to the others of the Mermaid’s company, who, by this time, had joined him, and said: 

“Friends, I have just listened to a strange story.  It is so strange that, but for the fact that our own adventures are verging on the marvelous, I could hardly believe it.  In the first place, this man here is the king of this country.  That is why all the other natives obeyed him.

“In the second place it seems he has been a passenger in our boat, and came here from the earth’s surface with us!”

“What’s that?” cried Jack.

“That explains the strange happenings!” ejaculated Mark.  “No wonder I could never solve the secret of the storeroom.”

“You are right, it does,” replied Mr. Henderson.  “I will not go into all the details of how it happened, but it seems the big hole through which we came is only one of two entrances to this inner world.  Rather it is the entrance, and there is another, close to it, which is the exit.  Through the latter a big stream of water spouts up, just as one pours down through the opening we used.