e, and on
reaching Kioram we would give him his liberty.

These words, with the treatment he was receiving, completely
reconciled Plothoy, who called Lecholt to come down on deck beside
him. His companion obeyed, and presently the two strangers sat on the
rail of the vessel engaged in earnest conversation.

Presently Plothoy said that his companion Lecholt would go forward in
advance of the ship to inform the king of our coming, that due
preparations be made for our reception. This was an admirable
suggestion, and accordingly we despatched Lecholt with a message of
profound respect for King Aldemegry Bhoolmakar, saying that the
commander of the _Polar King_ with his officers and retinue would do
themselves the honor of visiting his majesty and people as soon as the
_Polar King_ would reach Atvatabar.

Poising himself for a moment on his wings, Lecholt saluted us with his
sword and immediately swept away in the direction of Atvatabar.

CHAPTER XII.

WE ARRIVE AT KIORAM.

Between the time of departure of Lecholt and our arrival at Kioram we
kept Plothoy as busy as possible answering our questions.

We found that all the soldiers of the king were known as wayleals, and
that all were equipped with magnetic wings. The wings were worked by a
little dynamo supplied by magnicity. A single cell, six cubic inches
in size, produced a current both enormously powerful and constant. I
could recollect no cell in the outer world of the same size so
powerful, hence here was an inventive discovery of the first
importance. The cell was composed of two metals, terrelium, a
vermilion metal found only in Atvatabar, and aquelium, a bright green
metal elaborated from the waters of the internal ocean, which metals
simply placed in contact, without the addition of an acid or alkaline
salt, generated a powerful current. Both cell and dynamo were strapped
to the back by a strong leathern jacket, which also supported the
soldier in flight. The weight of a man being only fifteen pounds on
the surface of the interior earth, and no weight at all fifty miles
above it, prevented any fatigue being experienced from flight. It was
the easiest of all methods of locomotion, and eminently suited to the
inhabitants of such a world as Bilbimtesirol.

Plothoy informed us that the government of Atvatabar was an elective
monarchy. The king and nobles were elected for life and no title was
hereditary. There was a legislative assembly founded on th