*CHAPTER XXXIX.*
*THE END OF THE STRUGGLE.*
When Ivanta, with the two yachts, had gone off, leaving Fumenta with hisfleet to face Agrando's powerful force, he had not, in reality, gonevery far.
At first he had travelled swiftly to windward, till he met with a bankof cloud drifting with the breeze. Then he had been content topenetrate into it just far enough to conceal his two vessels and remainthere, floating slowly back with the cloud in the direction from whichhe had come.
Well versed in the movements of the varying currents of air and theclouds they bore with them, he calculated that by remaining thusinactive he would be carried back to the scene of the coming conflictwithout any one suspecting his whereabouts, and that he would arrivejust about the time when he would be able to act with the best effect.
Gerald and Jack, on board Alondra's yacht, watched from afar thebeginning of the battle. The yachts took up a station near the edge ofthe cloud, just far enough from its fringe for concealment, yet not sodeep in the mist as to prevent them from watching, through powerfulglasses, all that was taking place.
Both yachts were supplied with turtle deck-shields, and these had beenduly fitted in their places. The framework of the vessels wasconstructed of ivantium, the light but marvellously hard metal whichformed the outer shell of the great aerostat, the _Ivenia_. Moreover,the ornamental prows were solid pieces of the same metal, and thusformed formidable rams of enormous strength. These constitutedadvantages which Ivanta's fertile brain had planned to turn to goodaccount.
'The practice you have had when preparing for our racing competitions,'he pointed out to his son and the two chums, when unfolding his scheme,'will now come in useful. What we have to do is to take the enemy bysurprise as soon as they are sufficiently scattered. You must be readyto execute some of those daring aerial dives with which you have manytimes excited the wonder and admiration of the crowds of spectatorsassembled at our aerial regattas. Then they were executed merely asfeats of manoeuvring and aerial craftsmanship; now they may decide thefate of the battle. I am going to show you youngsters my reliance uponyour nerve and steadiness by trusting you to follow my lead. It will bea risky card to play, but if we keep our heads, and carry it throughsuccessfully, it may mean the defeat of the whole hostile fleet and thecapture of Agrando himself--if he is there, as I believe he is!'
'We 're ready, father!' cried Alondra. 'And you can trust Gerald andJack. They know how to manage the _Lokris_ now as well as I do.'
'We'll do our best, sir!' said Gerald modestly. 'And thank you forgiving us the chance! If we can do anything towards defeating Agrandowe shall feel we are aiding in the deliverance of Mr Armeath--especiallyif, as you suggest may be the case, we can capture the tyrant himself.'
Preliminaries having been thus settled, the yachts drew apart and tookup positions in readiness for the work before them.
Meantime, they were as yet far from the contending forces, and there wasnothing to be done, while they were drifting slowly towards them, butobserve what went on through their glasses with such patience as theycould muster.
The two sailors were watching, too, not less eagerly than their leaders,and their remarks and comments upon what they saw were both quaint andoriginal.
'What a queer way o' fightin'!' sniffed Tom Clinch scornfully. 'Nosmell o' powder, no noise o' big guns! An' look at their formation--onelot above another, an' another above them agen an' agen! A reg'larfour-decker business!'
'Ay, it do seem stoopid like,' Bob Reid agreed.
'S'pose some o' the top uns dropped, they 'd go bang on top o' thembelow! Did ye ever 'ear o' sich a way o' settin' out in battle array?'
'By Jingo, Bob, look at them there strings o' chaps bein' towed interbattle hangin' on ter hawsers, an' swingin' an' swayin' about in theair! Did ye ever 'ear o' the likes o' that, now?'
Presently a signal came from the king to be in readiness, and all talkceased. For a while there was tense expectation, and those on boardAlondra's yacht kept their eyes upon the _Nelda_.
Suddenly the king's yacht lurched forward with poised wings, and thendived headlong, the wings closing as it descended.
The spirals, working at high pressure, the flat bottom, which in itselfformed an aeroplane, aided by the fanlike stern or tail, weresufficient, at the tremendous speed, to hold her up long enough toeffect the intended purpose, which was to force her way through theoutstretched wings of a line of the enemy's ships.
In the line or row selected there were six vessels, one behind theother, and the _Nelda_ passed along close to them like a whirlwind,crashing through the wings, snapping them off like twigs, andeffectually disabling the whole line.
Alondra followed suit, selecting for his attack other six craft in line,and managing the operation not less adroitly.
Both evolutions were effected with lightning-like rapidity. It seemedbut an instant before they had passed, their wings had opened, and theyhad shot upwards upon the other side so quickly that they appeared onlyas specks in the upper air.
Then they turned in long, graceful curves, and came down in anotherdeadly plunge, selecting this time other vessels, which they served asthey had the first.
They left behind them a trail of wrecked craft, some of which fell atonce headlong to the ground, while others spun helplessly round andround, their remaining wings assisting to break their fall, thoughunable to prevent it.
Vainly those on board made desperate efforts to replace the broken wingsby the spare ones held in readiness. One they could have quicklyreplaced; but where all on the same side had gone the task wasdifficult, almost hopeless. But they were not allowed the time even toattempt it, for Fumenta's flying airships had turned, and were nowrushing back, heading straight for their crippled enemies. They crashedin amongst them, effectually finishing what the swifter-flying yachtshad begun.
With Fumenta's larger craft came smaller ones, which dashed aboutamongst the strings of 'boarders,' breaking them up, and hurling wholebatches to the ground.
And still the yachts continued their deadly raids, flying to and frolike thunderbolts, leaving everywhere in their track scenes ofindescribable confusion and panic.
It is but fair to Agrando to say that throughout he kept his head, andstruggled hard to avert the complete defeat which threatened him. Asfar as he could he huddled his vessels together for mutual support, thusreducing the yachts' power for mischief, since they could only work onthe outside lines.
Finally, Agrando retreated in the direction of the fortress, which heimagined was still held by his own people. There, close to the toweringprecipice, his remaining warships would be safer from the yachts' madrushes; and he and his chief officers, he reckoned, could in the lastresort, take refuge within and await the arrival of his second fleet.
Great was his dismay when, on his approach to the place, he met with ahostile reception, and realised that it had been already captured by hisfoes!
On all sides there was for him, now, nothing but disaster and defeat.Fumenta's vessels were cruising up and down almost unopposed, capturinghere, destroying there, triumphant everywhere, save as regards the fewremaining ships with which Agrando had surrounded himself. He hadformed these into a circle, each one facing outwards, and in this waymanaged for a while to keep their assailants at bay.
Then a great shout went up from them--a loud chorus of exultation anddefiance. In the distance they had sighted the expected second fleet.
But their rejoicings were short-lived! Far away, behind the oncomingships, there was visible a great mass, which it required but a secondglance to tell them was the _Ivenia_. It was evident that she was inchase of the longed-for reinforcements, which, in fact, were in headlongflight. They were making for the fortress, where they hoped they mightfind a refuge.
Agrando next saw the two yachts signalling to the _Ivenia_, and watchedthem sail off to meet her. Then, somewhat to his surprise, the whole ofFumenta's forc
es followed. But this only meant that Ivanta had calledthem off in the midst of their half-finished work, contemptuously givinghis enemy an opportunity to rally his demoralised followers, if hethought it worth while to do so.
But Agrando knew it was not worth while. He knew that nothing couldwithstand the _Ivenia_. He realised too well that he was hopelesslybeaten; that the great coup which he and the Diamond King had played forhad failed, and come to an ignominious end.
It was now evident that, somehow or other, a few of Ivanta's devotedfollowers must have regained possession of the _Ivenia_, after Agrando'smyrmidons had treacherously seized her, and had hastened to the aid oftheir liege lord. For the defeated tyrant and his aiders and abettersthere was therefore nothing now left but to throw themselves upon themercy of the conqueror.
This fact was, however, recognised by Agrando's followers as quickly asby himself. With the great _Ivenia_ looming overhead, they too realisedthat further fighting, or escape, would be alike impossible. They werewise in their generation, and perceived that their best hope lay inforcing their leader to make surrender; and this they promptly did.
They surrounded him in a body, and under their coercion Agrando sullenlysent out another messenger bearing the white flag. The result was that,less than an hour later, he and his principal officers were prisoners onboard the _Ivenia_.
Then an unpleasant discovery was made. Kazzaro was not among thecaptives, and inquiry elicited the fact that, when he had perceived theday was lost, he had slipped off in one of the fastest of Agrando'sairships. Further, it appeared that he had declared his intention ofreturning to Agrando's palace.
Thereupon, Ivanta decided to leave the completion of the arrangements onthe spot to Fumenta and his lieutenants, in whose charge he also leftthe yachts. Taking Alondra and his companions on board the _Ivenia_, hestarted at once in pursuit of the runaway--the cunning, cruel, craftyold 'Ogre.'
Fortunately, the airship in which Kazzaro had gone off broke down beforeshe reached her destination, and thus the chase did not prove a verylong one. Doubtless, the 'Ogre,' in his fear of pursuit, and hisimpatience to wreak a last vengeance upon the hapless prisoners Agrandohad left behind, had overstrained the machinery.
But the chase, if short, was certainly an exciting one, and afforded thevisitors from Earth an experience they had not had before--that ofseeing the _Ivenia_ put to her utmost speed through the air. Ivanta, inhis righteous anger and his determination to rescue the prisoners, senther rushing along almost like a comet. Had it been night, indeed, shewould certainly have seemed to leave a fiery, comet-like tail behindher, for the tremendous, almost appalling, rate at which she torethrough the dense air caused an amount of friction which sent forthshowers of electric sparks. To a structure built of any other metalthan the marvellous ivantium it would have meant utter destruction.
Before night the prisoners--including Mr Armeath, Aveena, and others ofAlondra's friends--had been rescued; and the 'Ogre' was safely locked upin one of his own dungeons.
*CHAPTER XL.*
*CONCLUSION.*
With the defeat and capture of Agrando and his chief confederates, therebellion which they had fomented ignominiously collapsed. None oftheir allies in other parts of King Ivanta's empire made any seriousattempt to continue the struggle. The mere appearance of the great_Ivenia_ was sufficient to enforce submission, as she visited in turneach disaffected country or district.
With characteristic energy, the victor set to work to restore completeorder, and to efface the after-effects of the general disturbance.Thanks to the wonderful tact and discernment he brought to bear uponthis delicate task, affairs settled down far more quickly than had atfirst seemed possible. It was but a few weeks ere King Ivanta returnedin triumph to his 'palace in the clouds,' again the undisputed ruler ofhis vast realm, his supremacy once more unchallenged throughout hisdominions.
Then commenced the further task of judging and punishing his vanquishedfoes. This was a longer and more tedious business, involving muchjourneying to and fro, and the holding of numerous local inquiries andstate trials.
Here again King Ivanta surprised even his own friends, and heaped coalsof fire upon the heads of his enemies, by the nature of the treatment hemeted out. Firm and determined in arriving at exact facts,discriminating in apportioning blame, he showed himself generous andmagnanimous almost to a fault in regard to punishment. Only those who,like Agrando and Kazzaro, had been guilty of acts of deliberate crueltyor injustice were severely dealt with; all others were let off far morelightly than they had any right to expect.
'I feel, my friend,' said Ivanta to Armeath, at the very beginning ofthe inquiries, 'that I myself have been much to blame in everintroducing among my people the costly toys you call diamonds and otherprecious stones. In the future they shall be unknown here, even as theywere before I first visited your planet. They have been the means offostering greed and avarice, increasing vanity and envy, exciting evilpassions, and creating discord where peace and goodwill reigned before.Every one--every stone, large or small--shall be collected. I willcompel my subjects to give up those they have, and I will return them,including all that Zuanstroom brought--with Zuanstroom himself--to theworld whence they came. Henceforth I will have none of them; mysubjects--our globe--shall know them no more!'
This reference to the Diamond King is sufficient to indicate the extremeleniency exhibited towards even the most blameworthy of those who hadrebelled against the Martian monarch. Zuanstroom was, indeed,imprisoned for the remainder of his visit; but no suggestion of anyseverer punishment seemed to have entered King Ivanta's thoughts. Andeven the imprisonment was more nominal than real; the captive's son andnephew were allowed free access to him, and they were allowed to makeoccasional excursions together, under the escort of his jailers.
'He's being treated a jolly sight better than he deserves, and so aremany others,' observed practical-minded Jack. 'They intended to killhim, and us too, if they had succeeded in their plans. I doubt if suchleniency will turn out to be altogether the wisest course for KingIvanta's own security in the future.'
'I don't agree with you, Jack. You are taking a wrong view of it. Tomy mind, the king is only acting just as I should have expected him todo,' cried Gerald enthusiastically. 'What did I always say of him, fromthe very first time I set eyes upon him? I knew--yes, _knew_--somethingseemed to tell me--how high-minded, how truly noble he was! I alwaysdeclared it! But at that time it was only a feeling in my mind, a sortof instinct. Now we have before us proofs such as every one can see forhimself.-- What do you think, sir?' he added, addressing his guardian.
'Truly, my son, your instinct in this case led you aright,' returnedArmeath, nodding his head and smiling. 'It is a goodly lesson for allof us; a grand example, one worthy to be remembered and pondered for therest of our lives!'
It was a great time for the two chums and their guardian, that whichfollowed. As the honoured guests of the king, and the special friendsand companions of the amiable prince his son, they travelled aboutcontinually. Sometimes in the _Ivenia_, at others in the prince'ssplendid air-yacht, they made numerous journeys; and everywhere they metwith cordial receptions from the rulers and nobles of the variousnations, visited everything that was worth seeing, and enjoyed to thefull all the varied entertainments provided for their amusement.
One day there was a great assembly of nobles and dignitaries at the'palace in the clouds,' the special occasion being--so it had been givenout--to do honour to some of those whom King Ivanta wished to reward.Foremost amongst these he placed the outlaw-chief Fumenta, and the youngstranger Malto, who had now quite recovered from his wound.
Then it was that King Ivanta made an announcement which came as asurprise indeed. He began by calling upon Malto to declare the nature ofthe request he wished to prefer. 'My dear son Prince Alondra,' the kingsaid, 'has never ceased to remind me again and again of the promise hemade to you, Malto. Not, ind
eed, that I required any such reminders; Iam far too sensible of the great service you rendered him and his twocompanions, our guests, when you enabled them to escape from Agrando'spower. No, I had not forgotten! So far from forgetting, I may tell youthat I have been busily making inquiries of my own in anticipation ofwhat your request was likely to be. At last my vague guesses have beencompletely confirmed by certain confessions made to me by those twotraitors Agrando and his creature Kazzaro. So, Malto, my friend, speakout, and ask without fear.'
'It concerns my father, sir--my father who died many years ago in exile,an outcast, driven from his country at your orders, owing to themachinations of his enemies, of whom that same Kazzaro was the chief.'
King Ivanta nodded, and his fine features lighted up with one of hiskindliest smiles as he looked across at Fumenta. 'And you, the Fox, asyou called yourself, who befriended the fugitive Eagle, and hid him fromhis enemies in your burrow; what is your request?'
'Mine, oh king, is less unselfish than that of this persecuted younggentleman, since it concerns myself alone. Once upon a time'----
'Once upon a time,' interrupted the king, 'you were known as Lufendis,King of Iraynia.'
Here Malto started and turned pale. He seemed to be trembling, andstared first at the king and then at Fumenta--or Lufendis--with eyesthat were almost starting out of his head. Ivanta paused and held hishand out towards him.
'And you, Malto, are the son of the king whom I displaced and sent intoexile because of accusations which both Agrando and Kazzaro have nowadmitted were false!'--'Lufendis! formerly King of Iraynia, henceforthyou are king not only of Iraynia but also of Sedenia, for I give to youthe position forfeited by the traitor Agrando! There, oh king, is yourson, Prince Yumalda, whom you thought to be dead; but who was reallystolen by Kazzaro and brought up to be the slave of the tyrant heserved.--Malto! or rather, Prince Yumalda! this is your father whom youhave so long mourned as dead!'
Who shall describe the scene that followed? Who can worthily depict thewondering delight of the father, the amazement of the son, or thesympathetic emotions of those who stood around? Congratulations, eager,tumultuous, poured in on all sides, Prince Alondra, Gerald, and Jackbeing among the first to offer them. Then the father and son, thusstrangely reunited, retired together to talk to one another alone.
At a later date the chums accompanied Prince Alondra and Monck onanother visit to Sedenia. This time they went as the guests of the newlyappointed King Lufendis. And there they visited again, with PrinceYumalda and Malandris, all those places where the former, as Malto, hadso adroitly aided them in their fortunate escape from Agrando'sdungeons. There, too, they saw the wrecked pavilion, and learned forthe first time how narrowly they had avoided being buried in its ruins.
Of Agrando, or the 'Ogre,' they saw nothing. They had already gone totheir lifelong doom--exile and imprisonment in that same dismalwilderness in which their victim, King Lufendis, had passed so manyyears as the famous outlaw-chief.
* * * * *
And so it came to pass that when, in due time, the wondrous aerostat_Ivenia_ set out upon her return to Earth, she brought back with her alarger load of treasure even than she had carried to Mars. What hadbelonged to the Diamond King, Ivanta, with royal scrupulousness,restored to him. The rest of the jewels he presented to Armeath and histwo wards, who in turn made over a share to their faithful servitors,all thus becoming rich beyond their wildest dreams.
At the last moment, before leaving Mars, the chums experienced a greatdisappointment. They had quite expected that Prince Alondra wouldaccompany them; but King Ivanta firmly refused his permission. For thepresent, at any rate, he said, his son must remain to represent him, andto take his place in looking after his people. At some future time,perhaps, things might be different.
'That means,' Alondra whispered to Gerald and Jack, 'that he has it inhis mind to bring me to see you later on. He is thinking of going upona voyage of discovery to another planet, and I think I may be able toinduce him to call for you to go with us.'
'Then,' said Gerald, 'it is not "Good-bye," but "_Au revoir;_" which,being freely interpreted, means "Perhaps Jack and I will see you againbefore very long!"'
And perhaps they will. Who can say? The two chums, at least, firmlybelieve that it will come to pass; and that they are destined to taketheir part in yet other journeys through space in the company of thegenial King Ivanta and his vivacious son Alondra.
THE END.
* * * * * * * *
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