"You are very right," he replied; "but do not felicitate yourselftoo quickly should you be sent to the arena, for there is scarceone in a thousand who comes out alive."

To my surprise they returned me to the same building in whichI had been confined with Perry and Ghak before my escape. At thedoorway I sometimes was turned over to the guards there.

"He will doubtless be called before the investigators shortly,"said he who had brought me back," so have him in readiness."

The guards in whose hands I now found myself, upon hearing that Ihad returned of my own volition to Phutra evidently felt that itwould be safe to give me liberty within the building as had beenthe custom before I had escaped, and so I occasionally was told to return towhatever duty had been mine formerly.