Part 18 (1/2)

Meanwhile we planned also to organize a system of aerial patrols, and detailed some two hundred of the girls, who in varying s.h.i.+fts were to fly back and forth along the borders of the sea over its Light Country sh.o.r.e, to make sure that Tao did not attempt to make a crossing by water.

”Can't they fly over as well as we can?” Mercer objected. ”Their women fly, too, don't they?”

The women of the Twilight Country did fly, but for two reasons we did not fear an attack from them in the air. First, Miela doubted that the women would concern themselves in the affair; they were stupid and apathetic--fit only for child-bearing. The men might, of course, force them to the attempt, but even in that event, Miela explained, it would result in little; for generations of comparative inactivity and the colder climate had made them inclined to stoutness. Their wing muscles were weak and flabby, and with their greater weight of body they flew very badly.

”Suppose Tao should come over?” I suggested to Miela. ”I don't believe he will--but if he should, how could we stop him?”

”By water he would come,” she answered. ”In boats--small they are, I think, those he has. We could not stop him, for the light-ray he would bring. But our women, flying over the ocean, would see him coming, and tell our king. More we could not do now.”

”You mean this patrol would give the government the warning it won't obtain for itself? There would be war then? The people would arm to resist invasion?”

Miela smiled sadly.

”There would be war, Alan. But our government--our people--do not look for it. They are like the peeta bird, that hides its head under its wing when it is threatened.”

The time of sleep was now nearly over, and we thought it best that the girls should fly back at once, so that their arrival at the city would cause as little comment as possible.

Mercer and I seated ourselves on the platform as before; the twenty girls grasped its handles, raising it until they were all upon their feet; then, at a signal, we left the ground. The trip back seemed shorter than coming up. The girls all left the valley together, flying up helter-skelter, and circling about us as we flew steadily onward.

Near the Great City the girls spread out, so as to approach it from different directions and thus attract less attention, although the time of sleep was not yet over and we knew that few would be stirring about the city.

When we reached home we greeted Lua, and dismissed the girls, arranging that they were to come back again that evening--fifty of them this time--to carry the larger platform we were to build. We then had breakfast, and after telling Lua the result of the meeting--at which she was greatly pleased--we went immediately to bed, for we were worn out.

It was about noon, I suppose, when we awoke. Mercer and I spent the afternoon building the platform on which to carry Tao's men--a framework with fifty handles instead of twenty. Miela and Anina disappeared for the whole afternoon. I did not know what they were doing at the time; later I found out Anina was devoting it to learning English.

During the evening meal we planned it all. Tao's men were living in a house near the edge of the city--the house Tao had occupied before he was banished to the Twilight Country. It had no other occupants at this time.

We had learned where they kept their boats in one of the bayous near by, and in it we intended to take them to the sea, where we would meet the girls, who would then fly with them to the Twilight Country. But we could not figure out how to capture them without alarming the city. We were sure they were unarmed; they had been carefully searched by the authorities when they entered the country. But they were ten to our two.

Mercer voiced the problem most emphatically.

”Ten men in a house,” he declared. ”Maybe we can catch them all asleep.

But even if they are, how are we going to get them out? There'd be a row, and we don't want any noise. Besides, there's always this confounded daylight here. If we tied them up somebody might see us when we got outside. How do we get them out of that house without any rumpus, and down to that boat? That's what I don't see.”

”I--do--that,” said Anina suddenly.

She had spoken in English, and we looked at her in amazement. She lisped the words in her soft, sweet voice, haltingly, like a little child. Then she turned to Miela and poured out a torrent of her native language.

Mercer stared at her in undisguised admiration.

As Miela explained it, Anina proposed that she go into Tao's house alone, and decoy his men down to the boat where we could capture them.

”But how will she get them there?” I exclaimed. ”What will she tell them?”

”She says she can make them think she is one of those few of our women who sympathize with their cause,” Miela explained. ”And she will say that the earth-man who escaped from them she has seen lurking about their boat; perhaps he plans to steal it. She will go there with them, and they can recapture him.”

”They might not all go,” said Mercer. ”We want to get them all.”

”It is Anina's thought that they will all go, for they fear this earth-man much--and all would go to make sure of him.”

I could not feel it was right for us to let Anina do so daring a thing, and Mercer agreed with me heartily. But Anina insisted, with a fire in her eyes and flushed cheeks that contrasted strangely with her usually gentle demeanor.