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the corridor and ascended the ramp that led to the hangar on the roof. I sent Ur
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Raj ahead because he was smaller than either Bal Tab or I, and could reconnoiter
with less likelihood of being discovered; also, the fact that he was a red man
made it advantageous to use him thus, as he would less quickly arouse suspicion
than either Bal Tab or myself. We three trailed a short distance behind him, and
when he reached a point where he could get a view of the roof we halted and
waited.
Presently he returned to us. "There are but two men on guard," he said. "It will
be easy."
"We'll rush them," I suggested. "If we take them by surprise, it may not be
necessary to kill them." Although an experienced man who has participated in
many conflicts, I still dislike seeing men die and especially by my own hands,
if matters can be arranged otherwise; but the chaps who guarded the royal
hangar
on the roof did not seem to care whether they lived or died for they charged us
the moment they saw us; and though I promised not to harm them if they
surrendered, they kept on coming until there was nothing for us to do but engage
them.
Just before they reached us, one of them spoke quietly to the other, who turned
and ran as fast as he could across the roof. Then his valiant companion engaged
us; but I caught a glimpse of the second man disappearing through a trap in the
roof. Evidently he had gone to summon aid while his fellow sacrificed his life
to detain us. The instant that I realized this, I leaped in to close quarters
and dispatched the warrior, though I must say that I never before killed a man
with less relish. This simple warrior was a hero, if ever there was one; and it
seemed a shame to take his life, but it was his or ours.
Knowing that pursuit might develop immediately, I summoned the others to
follow
me and hastened into the hangar where I quickly selected what appeared to be a
reasonably fast flier which would accommodate all of us.
I knew that Ur Raj could pilot a ship; and so I ordered him to the controls, and
a moment later we were gliding smoothly out of the hangar and across the roof.
As we took off, I looked down into the palace grounds from which rose the cries
of the beasts and the shouts of the warriors; and even as I looked I saw the
gate fall and the men of Dur Ajmad swarm through to overwhelm the remnants of
Jal Had's forces.
As we rose in the air, I saw a patrol boat some distance away turn and head for
us. I immediately ordered Bal Tab and Janai below, and after giving some
instructions to Ur Raj I followed them so that none of us might be seen by
members of the crew of the patrol boat.
The latter approached us rapidly, and when it was in speaking distance asked us
who we had aboard and where we were headed. Following my instructions, Ur
Raj
replied that Jal Had was below and that he had given orders not to divulge our
destination. The commander of the patrol boat may have had his doubts as to the
veracity of the statement, but evidently he felt that he did not care to take a
chance of antagonizing his prince in the event that he were aboard and had given
such instructions; so he fell off and let us continue on our way; but presently
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he started trailing us, and before we had passed beyond the limits of the city I
saw at least a dozen fliers in pursuit. The hangar guard who had escaped had
evidently raised the alarm. Perhaps, even, they had found the body of Jal Had.
In any event, it was quite evident that we were being pursued; and when the
other ships overtook the patrol and spoke, it too came after us at full speed.
CHAPTER XXVIII
THE GREAT FLEET
THE FLIER WE had commandeered was of about the same speed as the larger
vessels
that were pursuing us; but the patrol boat was faster, and it was evident that
she would eventually overhaul us.
A hasty survey of the boat revealed that there were rifles in their racks below
deck and a small gun at bow and astern above. They all fired the ordinary
Martian exploding projectiles which have been standard for ages. A single,
direct hit in any vital part of the ship might easily disable it, and I knew
that as soon as the patrol plane came within range it would commence firing.. I
had come on deck as soon as I had realized that we were no longer deceiving the
Amhorians, and I was standing beside Ur Raj urging him to greater speed.
"She is doing her limit now," he said; "but they are still gaining on us.
However, I don't think we need to worry greatly. You may not have noticed it,
but the hull of this ship is well protected, probably better armored than the
other ships because it was used by Jal Had, personally. Only by scoring a direct
hit on the controls or the rudder, can they put us out of commission, unless
they are able to get very close and give us a broadside; but with our guns we
ought to be able to prevent that."
Janai and Bal Tab had joined me on deck, and we three stood watching the
pursuing patrol boat, which was gaining on us steadily.
"There!" said Janai. "They have opened fire."
"It fell short and would have been wide anyway," said Bal Tab.
"But they will soon correct that and get our range," I prophesied.
I told Janai and Bal Tab to go below as there was no sense in risking their
lives on deck unnecessarily.
"When we are in rifle range, Bal Tab," I told him, "I shall send for you; and
you may bring up two or three rifles from below."
I then went to the stern gun and trained it on the oncoming patrol boat as
another shot fell just short of us. Then I trained our gun very carefully and
fired.
"Fine!" cried Janai. "You scored a hit the first time." I turned to see both her
and Bal Tab kneeling behind me. We were screened by the gun shield, but I still
thought it too dangerous; but she would not go below nor either would Bal Tab
except only to bring up several rifles and a larger supply of ammunition.
My shot, while a direct hit, had evidently done little or no harm for it neither
slowed up the craft nor interfered with its firing.
Presently the patrol boat commenced to veer off slightly to the right with the
possible intention of getting into a position from which it could pour
broadsides into us.
We were both firing continuously now, and every now and then a shell would
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strike against the gunshield or the hull and explode.
I cautioned Ur Raj to keep on a straight course, since, if we tried to keep our
stern and smallest target always presented to the pursuing enemy, we should
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