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220 I saw warriors emerging from several of the buildings. They all went in the same direction, toward a great building which stood in the center of the plaza. My knowledge of green Martian customs convinced me that this was either the quarters of the principal chieftain or contained the audience chamber wherein the Jeddak met his jeds and lesser chieftains. In either event, it was evident that something was afoot which might have a bearing on the recent capture of Tars Tarkas.

To reach this building, which I now felt it imperative that I do, I must need traverse the entire length of one square and cross a broad avenue and a portion of the plaza. From the noises of the animals which came from every court-yard about me, I knew that there were many people in the surrounding buildings—probably several communities of the great horde of the Warhoons of the South.

To pass undetected among all these people was in itself a difficult task, but if I was to find and rescue the great Thark I must expect even more formidable obstacles before success could be mine. I had entered the city from the south and now stood on the corner of the avenue through which I had passed and the first intersecting avenue south of the plaza.

The buildings upon the south side of this square did not appear to be inhabited, as I could see no lights, and so I decided to gain the inner court-yard through one of them.