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.

"Think ye that there be a spy among us?" I demanded. "How else can ye
explain this thing? My men have combed the land about us; there are none
of the louts secreted here; and, even so, they could not have notified
Klow so soon. Besides, 'tis pitch dark." I were sorely mystified.

All we could do was to fling our shells as fast as our machines would
work and dodge the enemy's hail as best we could. Thus the time passed,
and it were near dawn when the first messengers [Footnote: Messengers;
no telegraph or telephone, much less wireless. In a civilization as