When the division of the Imperial Guard assigned to storm the yard rushed it they ran squarely into the guns of the big gray monster, whose searchlights suddenly swept every nook and corner of the inclosure. In ten minutes from the time they dynamited the gates and rushed the grounds the shells from the _Pennsylvania_ were tearing them to pieces and incidentally reducing the Navy Yard to a junk heap. When the Yard had been cleared, the Captain landed his marines, searched the ruins and picked up a wounded officer who in sheer bravado, cocksure of ultimate victory, gave him the information he demanded. “Who the hell are you anyhow?” the Captain asked. “Lieutenant Colonel Harden of the Sixty-ninth Imperial Guard of the American Colonies--” “Colonies, eh?” The young officer smiled. “From tonight, the United States of America disappears from the map of the world. It will be divided between the kingdoms comprising the Imperial Federation of Northern Europe. England and France are yet poisoned with your democratic ideas. They have remained neutral, following your illustrious example in the world war. We don’t need them. Our task is so easy it’s a joke. You have my sympathy, Captain. You’re a brave and capable man. You would do honor to the Imperial Navy. You surprised me tonight. I was informed--reliably informed--that you and your men were celebrating the reign of universal peace--” “Who is your leader?” “A great man, sir, known in New York as Charles Waldron. The Emperor in command of the forces of United Europe has been informed already by wireless that America is in his hands. Tomorrow morning this leader’s name will be Prince Karl von Waldron, Governor-General of the Imperial Provinces of North America.” “So?” “I advise you, Captain, to make the best terms you can with your new master.” “Thank you,” was the dry reply. The Captain dispatched a launch to Governor’s Island reporting to General Hood the remarkable information he had received. His guns had already roused the garrison. The launch met General Hood’s at the mouth of the basin. The two men clasped hands in silence on the deck of the _Pennsylvania_. “The first blow, a thunderbolt from the blue, General--without a declaration--” “A blow below the belt too--a slave insurrection is honorable war compared to the treachery that would thus abuse our hospitality!” They tried the telephones and telegraph stations in vain. A council of war was called and through the grim hours from two A. M. until dawn they sat in solemn session. CHAPTER XXIII Vassar’s Committee of Public Safety in the rear room of Schultz’ store grew rapidly into a recruiting stand for volunteers. Before twelve o’clock the old Armory across the way was packed with hundreds of excited followers eager to fight. A bare hundred of them had permits to carry revolvers. A few had secured sticks of dynamite from builders. A hundred old muskets Vassar’s East Side Guard had used were there--but not a shell.