le and gilded armour, going up
and down the poop, cursing, praying, threatening,--all in vain. The
_Nausicaae's_ people rose and cheered madly.

"Enough! They have enough! Glory to Athens!"

But here Ameinias gripped Themistocles's arm. The chief turned, and all
the Hellenes with him. The cheer died on their lips. A tall trireme was
bearing down on them in full charge even while the _Nausicaae_ drifted.
They were as helpless as the Sidonian they had sent to death. One groan
broke from the Athenians.

"Save, Athena! Save! It is Artemisia! The queen of Halicarnassus!"

The heavy trireme of the amazon princess was a magnificent sight as they
looked on her. Her oars flew in a flashing rhythm. The foam leaped in a
cataract over her ram. The sun made fire of the tossing weapons on her
prow. A yell of triumph rose from the Phoenicians. On the _Nausicaae_ men
dropped sword and spear, moaned, raved, and gazed wildly on Themistocles
as if he were a god possessing power to dash the death aside.

"To your places, men!" rang his shout, as he faced the foe unmoved, "and
die as Athenians!"

Then even while men glanced up at the sun to greet Helios for the last
time, there was a marvel. The threatening beak shot around. The trireme
flew past them, her oars leaping madly, her people too intent on escape
even to give a flight of javelins. And again the Athenians cheered.

"The _Perseus_! Cimon has saved us."

Not three ships' lengths behind the Halicarnassian raced the ship of the
son of Miltiades. They knew now why Artemisia had veered. Well she might;
had she struck the _Nausicaae_ down, her own broadside would have swung
defenceless to the fleet pursuer. The _Perseus_ sped past her consort at
full speed, Athenian cheering Athenian as she went.

"Need you help?" called Cimon, from his poop, as Themistocles waved his
sword.

"None, press on, smite the Barbarian! Athena is with us!"

"Athena is with us! Zeus is with us!"

The _Nausicaae's_ crew were lifted from panic to mad enthusiasm. Still
above them towered the tall Phoenician, but they could have scaled Mt.
Caucasus at that instant.

"Onward! Up and after them," rang Ameinias's blast, "she is our own, we
will take her under the king's own eye."

The javelins and arrows were pelting from the Barbarian. The Athenians
mocked the shower as they leaped the void from bulwark to bulwark. Vainly
the Phoenicians strove to clear the grapples. Too firm! Their foes came on
to th