United States or Guinea ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
But none of my men were so handicapped. Each man's chariot was running as though naught had happened; they thundered forward, discharging their balls and shells as freely as they had across the sea. Their charge was a murderous one; not a man of Klow's was able to resist, save with what force he could put into his bare hands. Klow saw all this from the middle of his group of officers.
The tale was not told it was BELLOWED; and this is how it ran: I am Strokor, son of Strok, the armorer. I am Strokor, a maker of tools of war; Strokor, the mightiest man in the world; Strokor, whose wisdom outwitted the hordes of Klow; Strokor, who has never feared, and never failed. Let him who dares, dispute it. I I am Strokor! In my youth I was, as now, the marvel of all who saw.
Never did two such giant armies face one another in peace; for I had caused my banner to be floated wrong end to, in token of surrender. First, a small body of subordinates waited upon me, demanding that I give up the throne. I answered that I would treat with none save Klow himself; and shortly the knave, surrounded by perhaps fifty underlings, stepped up before me.
If it be the will of Jon to decide between the men of Klow and the men of Vlamaland, then it is my intent to take a hand in this decision!" "Aye, my lad," he said tranquilly; and then added, quite as though he knew what my answer must be: "How do ye intend to go about it?" "Like a man! I, Strokor, shall become the emperor!" A small storm had come up while Maka and I were talking.
And we have suffered him to keep it because he is a wise man, and because we have had little trouble with the men of Klow since their defeat two generations agone. "But he, today, is content to sit at his ease and quote platitudes about live and let live. Faugh! I am ashamed that I should even have given ear to him!" I stopped short and glared at the old man. "Maka hark ye well!
And at the same time a loud, steely click, just one and no more, sounded from the intruding host. For a moment Klow was vastly puzzled. Then he snarled angrily: "What means this foolery, Strokor? Advance, and give up thy ax!" For answer I turned me about, so as to face my men, and held up my hand in signal. Instantly the whistles sounded, and my hearties came bounding into the field.
This I could scarcely credit, for I fancied that the extensive fire which raged so fearfully must have driven, not only elephants, but every living creature out of the district, The native, however, pointed to his eye, repeating the word "Klow," and signed to me to follow him.
"Da klow! da klow!" A stranger would have fancied Swartboy in a fit, but Von Bloom knew that by "Da klow! da klow!" the Bushman meant "The elephant! the elephant!" and therefore looked in the direction in which Swartboy was pointing. Sure enough, upon the western plain, looming up against the yellow sky, was a dark mass, that upon examination presented the outlines of an elephant.
When it was complete, I had a tower as high as the mountain itself erected upon its summit. And next I caused section after section of the long, iron, pole-to-pole rod, which had tricked Klow, to be hauled up into the tower. I was only careful to begin the process from the top and work downward. I gave word that the last three sections be inserted at midday at a given day.
Then I showed him a boulder on the summit of a distant hill; through the tube, Klow could see some of my men standing beside it. "Place one of thy own men on the roof of the palace," I told Klow, "and give him orders to lower my banner should ye give him the word. "For upon the outcome of this fight 'twixt me and thee, Klow, hinges the whole affair!
Word Of The Day