His words came faintly to those in the
projectile.
"They seem to have a new leader," remarked Jack. "I understood
that the ruler, Silex Corundum, always went at the head of the
troops when there was to be a battle, but there's a different
person now."
A little in the rear of the crazy machinist was a Martian
enveloped in a scarlet cloak, which hung from his shoulders to
the ground. And fastened on his head to the golden circlet,
which seemed to be a common badge of office for all leading
Martians, was a small metal box.
"I believe that box has Cardite in it," said Jack. "Maybe he's
the keeper of all the Cardite on this planet, and he and his
soldiers have come to get it back."
"They don't look like soldiers," commented Mark.
"No; but they all have some sort of weapons," said Jack. "They
look like sticks with small boxes of Cardite on the end of them.
They must he a new kind of gun."
"And probably very effective, too," commented the professor.
"But they are evidently going to hold a parley with us. The
machinist and the Martian in the scarlet cloak are advancing
alone.
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