“Wait! Listen to me, all of you. This Og, whom once I fought before you all—” It was an unfortunate allusion; I had lost that combat with Og. “Silence!” I shouted over the noise. “Into the Water of Wild Things I have just been—and from this self-same Og recovered my woman Nona.” But the mingled cheers and jibes halted me. I could feel that the King’s arm around me was trembling. He whispered to me quaveringly: “Go on, Nemo. Tell them—” But my Nona suddenly sprang forward, up to the parapet. “Women of the Marinoids—” Her voice to the women of the crowd rang out clear and silenced the confusion. “Women of the Marinoids! This is war! We women—our children—our homes, are threatened! Do we fight, or do we sit by while our men defend us? Women of the Marinoids—answer me!” They did answer her. Their shouts of applause came up—enthusiastic shouts of the women in which the cheering voices of the men were mingled. And over it all came Nona’s cry: “I knew you would say that!” My wonderful Nona! She was dominating them. Her glorious arms—smooth as pink marble—went out to them appealingly. “We are but women, frail of body. But the spirit of battle is strong within us.” Then she called upon all the women who were young and strong like herself—bade them come now to the palace roof-top. “Come!” she cried. “Let us show our men what sort of women are theirs. Come now, and Nona—the Stranger’s woman—will command you in the battle!” They came. From out of the crowd they swam upward—the fairest, most beautiful of the Marinoid girls—and settled upon the palace roof. Two hundred of them perhaps. It was inspiring. It could not help but be—and my Nona knew it and had planned it thus. The men, seeing them gather, cheered loudly and called upon me to lead them to protect their women. It saved the situation for the King and me. Nona swam upward. “My man Nemo will command you men,” she shouted. “And I will lead the women.” She gazed down at me. “We women will wait for your orders, my Nemo.” And among the girls she took her place—waiting. I had made my decisions. The crowd now was with me. In a breath, I knew, the news of my leadership would spread through the city. I spoke. I knew that my voice now carried the real confidence of authority; and the crowd knew it. I commanded that all the older women, old men and children should go to their homes, bar their doors and windows, and wait. All men, able-bodied, I ordered to the roof of the city, there to wait for their arms and equipment which very soon would be furnished them. They were to divide themselves into two groups; older men whose power of giving the electric shock was waning; and those younger in whom it was still at its height. * * * * *