ther without delay. "Choose each of you," I said, "a pair of the
strongest wings, and arm yourselves with revolvers. You must at all
hazards evade the enemy and carry out your mission with the greatest
possible speed."

Astronomer Starbottle and Flathootly were enthusiastic at being
allowed to undertake so adventurous a journey. They immediately began
to prepare for, an early departure.

"Might I inquire," said the governor, "what you mean by revolvers?"

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 ab