We showed him the weapons by which we had resisted the onslaught of myriads of wing-jackets, to the fatal force of which thousands had succumbed. He was astonished at the invention, and said if the army of the queen were equipped with so formidable a weapon, King Aldemegry Bhoolmakar would very easily be driven from his throne, and Lyone would be truly Queen of Atvatabar.
It was decided that the fortress of Kioram should be immediately turned into an arsenal for the manufacture of spears and revolvers, for the use of the wayleals and bockhockids of Lyone's army. The mines where the metal terrelium was worked and the factories where aquelium was elaborated from the water of the ocean were to be seized, and vast quantities of these metals sent to Kioram for the use of the entire army, to furnish a current for the deadly spears, to be made under the superintendence of Professor Rackiron.
Astronomer Starbottle and the redoubtable Flathootly were equipped with splendid sets of wings worked by cells of double power. Their magnetic spears were far-reaching and carried a current of tremendous intensity, contact with which was immediate death.
"Be jabers," said Flathootly, "the fellow that touches us will foind us hornets of the first magnitude. We'll give him a touch of the cholera morbus."
"I entrust the despatches in your hand, astronomer," said I, "and with Flathootly as escort and body-guard, I hope you will both execute your mission and return safe to Kioram."
"Caution and despatch will be our watchwords," said the astronomer, "and you are already assured of our fidelity."
"In addition to your duty as couriers to Egyplosis and Gnaphisthasia I desire you," I said, "to explore the upper atmosphere, with a view of discovering at what height centrifugal gravity ceases to operate on bodies, and, if possible, where gravity toward Swang begins to exert its force. I wish to choose an aerial battle-field, where there is no gravity, so that our wayleals may have absolute freedom of action."
"We have discovered a perceptible movement toward the sun at a height of fifty miles," said the governor; "at that height our wayleals cease to revolve with the earth, and therefore have no weight—but your astronomer can easily verify this fact by his own experience."
"Do you think our couriers will receive opposition from the king's wayleals?" I inquired.
"I would suggest their being disguised as the king's wayleals as a means of safety. If they travel as wayleals of her majesty they are liable to be captured."