I looked at him in surprise. Evidently his fear of Edmund had vanished;
no doubt because he knew in his heart the magnanimity of our great
leader.
"Who knows?" Edmund replied. "I've no doubt the materials are aboard, and
if I had been here a month, I'd probably try it. As things stand, we
shall have to resort to other methods."
While we were talking, Edmund did not relax his vigilance, and two or
three times, when he had dropped to a lesser elevation for Juba's sake,
he baffled a dash of the enemy. At last we noticed a movement in the
crowd which betokened something of importance, and in a moment we saw
what it was. A splendid air ship, by far the most beautiful that we had
yet seen, was swiftly approaching from below.
"It's the queen," said Edmund. "I thought she'd come."
The approaching ship made its way straight toward us, and, without the
slightest hesitation, Edmund dropped down to meet it. Those who had been
our pursuers now made no attempt to interfere with us; they recognized
the presence of a superior authority. Soon we were so near that we could
recognize Ala, who looked like Cleopatra in her barge on the charmed
waves of Cydnus.
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