ten ships to guard the mouth of the bay. It was a
satisfaction to know that the torpedo was also unknown in Atvatabar,
else our career would have been cut short. The _Polar King_, running
twenty-five miles an hour, was followed by the enemy's fleet, which,
although slower in movement, had the advantage in numbers and could
possibly drive us upon the shore. After sailing as far east as we
cared to go, the _Polar King_ lay to, awaiting a renewal of the
battle.

CHAPTER XLII.

THE BATTLE CONTINUED.

The royal fleet formed a wide semi-circle a mile off, and reopened its
guns upon us. An unlucky shot struck one of our seamen and cut off his
head. A perfect storm of shot rained upon us, so destroying our
hurricane-deck that it was no longer of any protection to us. The
enemy, encouraged by their success, closed in upon us. What we feared
most of all was an attack by the wing-jackets, against whom neither
our heavy guns nor superior speed would much avail.

Professor Rackiron aimed the giant gun right in the centre of the
enemy's line of battle. The shell struck the middle ship and exploded.
All three vessels were scattered half a mile apart, and made complete
wrecks. The _Polar King_ darted forward to pass through the breach
made in the enemy's line. We found this a matter of difficulty, for
the enemy, seeing our move, closed the gap in front of us. The ships
ahead would have barred the way, but to prevent their doing so, we
threw a shell of terrorite over the bow of the ship into the water.
The sea rose on either side fully half a mile into the air, in solid
pillars of water. In the confusion, we burst through the ranks of the
enemy and were once more in open water.

The admiral must have been exasperated at our escape. He followed us
as before, in close rank, firing as he came. We now saw that he was
about to change his mode of attack, for, hovering in the air, a
rapidly-growing swarm of fletyemings were preparing to give us a
hand-to-hand combat. Each vessel furnished a certain contingent to the
attacking force, until the aerial battalion numbered about five
thousand men. Our position seemed hopeless. What could less than
eighty men do against a host of ten thousand? At close quarters our
terrorite guns would be useless.

With loud yells the fletyemings swept down upon us. Fearing our guns,
they kept open rank and spread around the ship. Aiming at the densest
part of the enemy, we destroyed about five hundr