Instantly a pistol flashed in the speaker's hand, and five shots rang in quick succession. One after another they whistled by Cosmo's head and flattened themselves upon the metal-work behind. Cosmo Versál, untouched, folded his arms and looked straight at his foe. The man, staring a moment confusedly, as if he could not comprehend his failure, threw up his arms with a despairing gesture, and fell prone upon the ground. Then yells and shots once more broke out. Cosmo stepped back, and a great metallic door swung to, closing the gangway. But three minutes later the door opened, and the mob saw two machine-guns trained upon them. Once more Cosmo appeared, with the trumpet. "If you fire again," he cried, "I shall sweep you with grapeshot. I have told you how you can prolong your lives. Now go!" Not another shot was fired. In the face of the guns, whose terrible power all comprehended, no one dared to make a hostile movement. But, perhaps, if Cosmo Versál had not set new thoughts running in the minds of the assailants by telling them there was temporary safety to be found by seeking high ground, even the terror of the guns would not have daunted them. Now their hopefulness was reawakened, and many began to ponder upon his words. "He says we must perish, and yet that we can find safety in the hills and mountains," said one man. "I believe half of that is a lie. We are not going to be drowned. The water won't rise much higher. The flood from the south pole that they talk about must be here by this time, and then what's left to come?" "The nebula," suggested one. "Aw, the nebula be hanged! There's no such thing! I live on high ground; I'm going to keep a sharp outlook, and if the water begins to shut off Manhattan I'll take my family up the Hudson to the Highlands. I guess old Storm King'll keep his head above. That's where I come from--up that way. I used to hear people say when I was a boy that New York was bound to sink some day. I used to laugh at that then, but it looks mighty like it now, don't it?" "Say," put in another, "what did the fellow mean by saying the ark was _full_? That's funny, ain't it? Who's he got inside, anyway?" "Oh, he ain't got nobody," said another. "Yes, he has. I seen a goodish lot through the portholes. He's got somebody, sure." "A lot of fools like himself, most likely." "Well, if he's a fool, and they's fools, what are _we_, I'd like to know? What did you come here for, hey?" It was a puzzling question, and brought forth only a sheepish laugh, followed by the remark: "I guess we fooled ourselves considerable. We got scared too easy." "Maybe you'll feel scared again when you see the water climbing up the streets in New York. I don't half like this thing. I'm going to follow his advice and light out for higher ground."