hrough the speaking
tube, immediately to the captain. He did not know anything more, except
that the _Energon_ twice repeated the message and that five minutes
afterward the explosion occurred. The captain of the _Alaska_ had
perished with his ship, and nothing more was to be learned.

The _Energon_, however, promptly hoisted anchor and cleared out to sea.
A great clamour was raised by the papers; the government was charged with
cowardice and vacillation in its dealings with a mere pleasure yacht and
a lunatic who called himself "Goliah," and immediate and decisive action
was demanded. Also, a great cry went up about the loss of life,
especially the wanton killing of the ten "statesmen." Goliah promptly
replied. In fact, so prompt was his reply that the experts in wireless
telegraphy announced that, since it was impossible to send wireless
messages so great a distance, Goliah was in their very midst and not on
Palgrave Island. Goliah's letter was delivered to the Associated Press
by a messenger boy who had been engaged on the street. The letter was as
follows:

"What are a few paltry lives? In your insane wars you destroy
millions of lives and think nothing of it. In your fratricidal
commercial struggle you kill countless babes, women, and men, and you
triumphantly call the shambles 'individualism.' I call it anarchy.
I am going to put a stop to your wholesale destruction of human
beings. I want laughter, not slaughter. Those of you who stand in
the way of laughter will get slaughter.

"Your government is trying to delude you into believing that the
destruction of the _Alaska_ was an accident. Know here and now that
it was by my orders that the _Alaska_ was destroyed. In a few short
months, all battleships on all seas will be destroyed or flung to the
scrap-heap, and all nations shall disarm; fortresses shall be
dismantled, armies disbanded, and warfare shall cease from the earth.
Mine is the power. I am the will of God. The whole world shall be
in vassalage to me, but it shall be a vassalage of peace.

"I am
"GOLIAH."

"Blow Palgrave Island out of the water!" was the head-line retort of the
newspapers. The government was of the same frame of mind, and the
assembling of the fleets began. Walter Bassett broke