so that one end pointed directly at the fragment of metal. I moved them
closer together; there was no doubt that they were strongly attracted.
The enemy's shells were made of mere iron!

The moment I fully realized this, I saw clearly how we might baffle the
men of Klow. I instantly summoned some men gave the orders much as
though I had known for years what was to be done, and in a few moments
had the satisfaction of seeing my messengers hurrying north and south.

And so it came about that, within three days of our shameful retreat, a
tenth of my men were at work on the new project. As yet there was no
word from my spies across the sea; but we worked with all possible
haste. And this, very briefly, is what we did:

We laid a gigantic line of iron clear across the empire. From north to
south, from snow to snow; one end was bedded in the island of Pathna,
where the north magnetic-pole is found, while the other stopped on the
opposite side of the world, in a hole dug through the ice into the solid
earth of the South Polar Plain. And every foot of that enormous rod--
'twas as big around as my leg--was insulated from the ground with pieces
of our secret non-magnetic alloy!

Not for nothing had our chemists sought the metal which would resist the
lightning. And not for nothing did my bullies piece the rod together,
all working at the same time, so that the whole thing were complete in
seven days. That is, complete save for the final connecting link; and
that lay, a loglike roll of iron, at the door of my palace, ready to be
rolled into place when I were but ready.

And on the morrow the Klow reached our shores.