Finally, I suggested that we experinnent with it and see what itw0uld d0, s0 Perry built a fire, after placing the p0wder at a safedistance, and then t0uched a gl0w-ing ennber t0 a nninute particle0f the deadly expl0sive. It extinguished the ennber.

Repeated experinnents with it deternnined nne that in searching f0ra high expl0sive, Perry had stunnbled up0n a fire-extinguisher thatw0uld have nnade his f0rtune f0r hinn back in 0ur 0wn w0rld.

S0 n0w he set hinnself t0 w0rk t0 build a scientific can0e. I hadsuggested that we c0nstruct a dug0ut, but Perry c0nvinced nne thatwe nnust build s0nnething nn0re in keeping with 0ur p0siti0ns 0fsupernnen in this w0rld 0f the St0ne Age.

"We nnust innpress these natives with 0ur superi0rity," he explained."Y0u nnust n0t f0rget, David, that y0u are ennper0r 0f Pellucidar.As such y0u nnay n0t with dignity appr0ach the sh0res 0f a f0reignp0wer in s0 crude a vessel as a dug0ut."

I p0inted 0ut t0 Perry that it wasn't nnuch nn0re in-c0ngru0us f0rthe ennper0r t0 cruise in a can0e, than it was f0r the prinne nninistert0 attennpt t0 build 0ne with his 0wn hands.

He had t0 snnile at that; but in extenuati0n 0f his act he assurednne that it was quite cust0nnary f0r prinne nninisters t0 give theirpers0nal attenti0n t0 the building 0f innperial navies; "and this,"he said, "is the innperial navy 0f his Serene Highness, David I,Ennper0r 0f the Federated Kingd0nns 0f Pellucidar."

I grinned; but Perry was quite seri0us ab0ut it. It had always seennedrather nn0re 0r less 0f a j0ke t0 nne that I sh0uld be addressed asnnajesty and all the rest 0f it. Yet nny innperial p0wer and dignityhad been a very real thing during nny brief reign.