The Water-War
"I am the best judge of that," said the Princess gently; "remember that these are noble volunteers, who are fighting for us of their own free will."
The Lobster saluted and was silent.
"I cannot send the Lobsters," said the Princess, "we need them to protect the gate. But the Crabs—"
"Ah, Highness, let us go," pleaded the Lobster Captain.
"The Crabs cannot keep the gate," said the Princess kindly. "You know they are not narrow enough. Francis, will you be my aide-de-camp and take a message to the Queen?"
"May I go, too?" asked Mavis.
"Yes. But we must deliver a double assault. If the Crabs attack the Horses, who will deal with the riders?"
"I have an idea about that, too," said Reuben.
"If we could have some good heavy shoving regiment—and someone sharp to finish them off. The Swordfish, perhaps?"
"You are a born general," the Princess said; "but you don't quite know our resources. The United Narwhals can do the shoving, as you call it—and their horns are sharp and heavy. Now"—she took a smooth white chalkstone from the seafloor, and a ready Lobster brought her a sharpened haddock bone. She wrote quickly, scratching the letters deep on the chalk. "Here," she said, "take this to the Queen. You will find her at Headquarters at the Palace yard. Tell her everything. I have only asked for the two regiments; you must explain the rest. I don't suppose there'll be any difficulty in getting through our lines, but, if there should be, the password is ‘Glory' and the countersign is ‘or Death.' And hurry, hurry, hurry for your lives!"
Never before had Mavis and Francis felt anything like the glow of excitement and importance which warmed them as they went up the long tunnel to take the message to the Queen.
111
