r Parmenter and our answer is in the negative. This is
not warfare; it is only abduction, possibly seasoned with murder, and we
call those things crimes in England, and if such a crime were permitted
by those in whose employment John Castellan presumably is, we should
punish them as well as him."

"What!" exclaimed the Kaiser, clenching his fists, "do you, a civilian,
an ordinary citizen, dare to say such words to us? Lord Kitchener, can
you permit such an outrage as this?"

"The other outrage would be a much greater one, especially if it were
committed with the tacit sanction of the three greatest Powers in
Europe," replied K. of K., quietly. "That is one of our chief reasons
for asking for the surrender of the _Flying Fishes_. There is no telling
what harm this wild Irishman of yours might do if he got on the loose,
not only here but perhaps in your own territories, if he were allowed to
commit a crime like this, and then went, as he would have to do, into
the outlaw business."

"I think that there is great justice in what Lord Kitchener says,"
remarked His Majesty of Austria. "We must not forget that if this man
Castellan did run amok with any of those diabolical contrivances of his,
he would be just as much above human law as he would be outside human
reach. I must confess that that appears to me to be one of the most
serious features in the situation. Your Majesties, as well as the
French Government, are aware that I have been all along opposed to the
use of these horrible engines of destruction, and now you see that their
very existence seems to have called others into being which may be even
more formidable."

"Mr Lennard can tell your Majesties more about that than I can," said K.
of K., with one of his grimmest smiles.

"As far as the air is concerned," said Lennard, very quietly, "we can
both out-fly and out-shoot the _Flying Fishes_; while as regards the
water, eleven more _Ithuriels_ will be launched during the week. We have
twenty-five airships ready for action over land or sea, and, for my own
part, I think that if your Majesties knew all the details of the
situation you would consider the terms which his lordship has put before
you quite generous. But, after all," he continued, in a suddenly changed
tone, "it seems, if you will excuse my saying so, rather childish to
talk about terms of peace or war when the world itself has less than six
weeks to live if John Castellan manages to carry out his threa