“To Strokor, the fittest of the fit!”

IV

THE ASSAULT

Now, out of a total population of perhaps three million, I had about a quarter-million first-class fighters in my half of the world.  Klow, by comparison, had but two-thirds the number; his land was not a rich one.

But he had the advantage of knowing, some while in advance, of the new ruler in Vlama; and shortly my spies reported that his armories were devising a new type of weapon.  ’Twas a strange verification of my own fiction to my men.  I could learn nothing, however, about it.

Meanwhile I caused a vast number of flat-boats to be built, all in secret.  Each of them was intended for a single fighter and his supplies; and each was so arranged, with side paddle wheels, that it would be driven by the motor in the soldier’s chariot, and thus give each his own boat.

Again discarding all precedent, I packed not all my forces together, as had been done in the past, but scattered them up and adown the coast fronting the land of Klow; and at a prearranged time my quarter-million men set out, a company in each tiny fleet.  Some were slightly in advance of the rest, who had the shorter distance to travel.  And, just as I had planned, we all arrived at a certain spot on Klow’s coast at practically the same hour, although two nights later.

’Twas a brilliant stroke.  The enemy looked not for a fleet of water-ants, ready to step right out of the sea into battle.  Their fleet was looking for us, true, but not in that shape.  And we were all safely ashore before they had ceased to scour the seas for us.

I immediately placed my heavy machines, and just as all former expeditions had done, opened the assault at once with a shower of the poison shells.  I relied, it will be seen, upon the surprise of my attack to strike terror into the hearts of the louts.

But apparently they were prepared for anything, no matter how rapid the attack.  My bombardment had not proceeded many moments before, to my dismay, some of their own shells began to fall among us.  Soon they were giving as good as we.

“Now, how knew they that we should come to this spot?” I demanded of Maka.  I had placed him in my cabinet as soon as I had reached the throne.

The old man stroked his beard gravely.  “Perchance it had been wrong to come to the old landing.  They simply began shelling it as a matter of course.”

“Ye are right again,” I told him; and forthwith moved my pieces over into another triangle. (Previously, of course, all my charioteers had gone on toward the capital).  However, I took care to move my machines, one at a time, so that there was no let-up in my bombardment.

But scarce had we taken up the new position before the enemy’s shells likewise shifted, and began to strike once more in our midst.  I swore a great oath and whirled upon Maka in wrath.