Each of the children always said, and thought that it meant to say “I will,” but somehow or other the person who spoke first was Reuben. The instant the Princess had said “be,” Reuben shouted: “Me,” adding however almost at once, “please.” “Right,” said the Princess kindly, “off with you! The Sea Urchins’ barracks are behind that rock. Off with you! Here, don’t forget your tail. It enables you to be as comfortable in the water as any fish.” Reuben took the tail and hastened away. “Now,” said the Princess. And they all began putting on their tails. It was like putting both your feet into a very large stocking. Then came the mail coats. “Don’t we have swords?” Francis asked, looking down at his slim and silvery extremity. “Swords? In the Crustacean Brigade? Never forget, children, that you belong to the Princess’s Own Oysters. Here are your weapons.” She pointed to a heap of large oyster shells, as big as Roman shields. “See,” she said, “you hold them this way as a rule. A very powerful spring is released when you hold them _that_ way.” “But what do you do with it?” Mavis asked. “Nip the feet of the enemy,” said the Princess, “and it holds on. Under Folk have no tails. You wait till they are near a rock; then nip a foe-man’s foot with your good weapon, laying the other end on the rock. The oyster shell will at once attach itself to the rock and....” A terrible shout rang out, and the Princess stopped. “What is it; oh, what is it?” said the children. And the Princess shuddered. Again that shout—the most terrible sound the children had ever heard. “What is it?” they said again. The Princess drew herself up, as if ashamed of her momentary weakness, and said: “It is the war cry of the Under Folk.” CHAPTER EIGHT _The Water-War_ AFTER THE SOUND of that terrible shouting there came silence—that is, there was silence where the children were, but all above they could hear the rush and rustle of a quick arming. “The war cry of the People of the Depths,” said the Princess. “I suppose,” said Kathleen forlornly, “that if they’re so near as that all is lost.” “Lost? No, indeed,” cried the Princess. “The People of the Depths are very strong, but they are very heavy. They cannot rise up and come to us from the water above. Before they can get in they must scale the wall.” “But they will get over the wall—won’t they?” “Not while one of the Royal Halibuts still lives. The Halibuts have manned the wall; they will keep back the foe. But they won’t attack yet. They’ll send out their scouts and skirmishers. Till they approach, the Crustacean Brigade can do nothing. It is a hard thing to watch a fight in which you may not share. I must apologize for appointing you to such an unsatisfactory position.” “Thank you, _we_ don’t mind,” said Cathay hastily. “What’s that?” It was a solid, gleaming sheet of silver that rose above them like a great carpet—which split and tore itself into silver threads.