But scarce had they got away before a queer thing happened. A flock of
those great air-creatures, some eight altogether, rose up from the
middle of the city. It was now fairly light, and we could see well. One
of them had some sort of engine trouble, so that it had to return at
once; but the other seven came out to the battle-line and began to
circle the city.

As they did so they dropped odd, misshapen parcels, totally unlike
materials of war; but when they struck they gave off prodigious puffs of
a greenish smoke, of so terribly pungent a nature that my men dropped
before it like apples from a shaken tree. 'Twas a fearful sight; lucky
for us that the louts had had no practice, else few of us should be
alive to tell the tale.

And so they swept around the great circle, many triangles in area; and
everywhere the unthinkable things smote the hearts of my men with a fear
they had never known. Only one of the devices suffered; it was brought
down by a chance fling of a poison shell. The rest, after loosing their
burdens, returned to the city for more.

I am no fool. I saw that we could do nothing against such weapons, but
must use all our wits if we escaped even.

"Return!" I commanded, and instantly my staff whistled the code. The men
obeyed with alacrity, making off at top speed with the men of Klow in
hot pursuit, although able to do little damage.

Aye, it were a sorrowful thing, that retreat. The best I could do was to
remain till the very last, having to deal with a number of persistent