Chapter 10: A Visit From the Inhabitants of Plutusia

How long we slept it is impossible to say. We must have remained in slumber at least three days after the great excitement of our voyage so far. The direct cause of my awaking was a loud noise on deck, and on coming up to learn the cause, I saw Flathootly shaking his fist at two strange flying men who hovered over the ship.

“Bad luck to ye,” shouted Flathootly, “if iver I get a grip of ye again you won’t sail away so swately after jabbin’ me in the neck like that.”

“Flathootly!” I cried, “what’s the meaning of this? Were those men on board ship? Had you hold of them?”

“Begorra, sorr,” he replied, holding his hand over a slight wound in his neck, “I was slaping as swately as a child when I felt something tickling me nose. I got up to see what was the matther wid me, and sure enough found thim two rascals prowlin’ about the deck. Whin they saw me making a move they jumped back and roosted on the rail. I wanted to catch howlt of wan of thim as a curiosity and I goes up to the short fellow, an’ says I, quite honey like: ‘Good-marnin’, sorr! Could you give me a match to loight me pipe?’ an’ before the fellow had time to know where he was I had howlt of him, wings an’ all. Why, he was as weak as wather, and I was knocking his head on the deck to kape him quiet, whin the other fellow let fly and stuck his spear in me neck, and whin I was trying to catch the second fellow the first fellow got away. Be jabers, the next time I get the grip on either of thim his mutton’s cooked.”

“I fear, Flathootly,” said I, “you will never catch either of them again. Don’t you see they have got wings and can fly wherever they like beyond reach?”

The two men that flew around the ship were strange beings. Their complexions were bright yellow and their hair black. They were not above five and a half feet in height, but possessed athletic frames. Their wings were long polished blades of metal of a gleaming white, like gigantic oars, which were moved by some powerful force (possibly electricity) quite independent of the body. Their aërial blades flashed and whirled in the sunlight with blinding rapidity. Their attire consisted of what appeared to be leather tights covering the legs, of a pale yellow tint with crimson metallic embroidery. The dynamo and wings were fastened to a crimson jacket of unique shape that supported the body in flight. Their heads were protected by white metal helmets, and they wore tightly-fitting metal boots, reaching half way up to the knee, the metal being arranged in overlapping scales. Each flying man was armed with a spear and shields. The tout ensemble was a picture of agility and grace.

The sailors, now thoroughly awake, gave expression to loud exclamations of surprise at the sight of the two strange flying men wheeling around the ship overhead. Professor Starbottle thought that the strangers must belong to some wealthy and civilized country, for men in a savage state would be incapable of inventing such powers of flight and presenting so ornate an appearance.

“They are soldiers,” said Professor Rackiron; “see the spears and shields they wear.”

“They’re bloody pirates!” said Flathootly. “It was the long fellow that stabbed me.”

“You’re all right,” said the doctor to Flathootly. “Thank your stars the spear wasn’t poisoned, or you would be a dead man.”

“Be the powers, I’ll have that fellow yet,” said the master-at-arms. “I’m going to take a jump, and, be me sowl, wan of thim fellows ‘ll get left.”