’Well, we ’ve beaten ’em so far,’ exclaimed Malto. ’I had almost given up hope. We should have been done for if it hadn’t been for those noisy playthings of yours, young gentlemen. May I ask what they are, and where they come from? I have never met with that kind of weapon before.’ ’They come from a far country, so far that your head would scarcely carry the tale of the figures if I were to attempt to give them to you,’ Alondra declared laughingly. ’Now, what is to be done next? Our foes will be sending an airship against us, I suppose; and if assistance doesn’t reach us pretty soon I am afraid they will have the best of it, after all.’ ’No, I don’t think there is any fear of that. They won’t send an airship against us,’ said Malto. Malandris shook his head too. ’Not during the day,’ he assented. ’They might when it gets dark, if we are still here.’ ’Why not?’ asked Jack, in surprise. ’It would attract attention. You see, our master has visitors. Prince Alondra, the son of King Ivanta, is staying here; and he, or some of his people, might be cruising about in his air-yacht or in some of the airships which came with him. If they caught sight of an airship engaged in fighting operations down here their curiosity might be aroused, and they might come and ask inconvenient questions.’ At this Gerald and Jack glanced at one another and then at Alondra, and nearly burst out laughing; but the latter made a sign, and they turned away and said nothing. The young prince wished to keep his identity a secret a little longer, in order that he might have an opportunity of quietly probing farther into the meaning of the extraordinary events of that eventful morning. ’What, then, do you suppose they will do?’ Alondra went on. ’Oh, very likely nothing at all! Just loaf about to make sure that we don’t get away during the day. They know they can’t break into this pavilion; it has been strongly built on purpose. Then at night they will make sure of us. Our best hope is that we may see some passing airship and attract the attention of the people in her, and that they may come and take us off.’ ’That doesn’t sound very hopeful. It might be one of Agrando’s airships,’ Jack pointed out. ’On the other hand, it might be one belonging to his visitors,’ said Malto. ’Then, I imagine, we should be all right. I suppose you belong to their party, don’t you? I have been thinking it over, and can’t guess who else you can be. You said you could take me to King Ivanta, and I don’t see how you could make such a promise unless you belonged to the prince’s party.’ He looked searchingly at Alondra as he spoke, and there was in his tone and look a suggestion of reproach at their keeping him in the dark.