put in tight containers that will keep it dry."
Bright Star looked at him like he had gone mad. "Our edge," said The
Hawk, "the weapon we need. If we throw this in the enemy's face while
he's attacking, it will render him helpless. He'll be blind and
coughing, unable to fight."
25 "It's mad," cried Bright Star, "it's insane. But it JUST MIGHT WORK!"
26 At first they thought they'd give each man a pouch of pepper and let
them throw it at the enemy as they approached, but they found this
wasn't effective. One of The Hawk's people came up with a better idea.
He had used to spread lime, and to do so, had used a special scoop that
made it spread out as you threw it. With practice several men along the
line could make a cloud of powder that would engulf the enemy's ranks.
27 With a substitute powder the men drilled for hours until they had
the system down perfect. On command the first three ranks knelt, the
powder throwers let fly. It sailed over their own people into the
enemy. The ranks rose again and attacked, before the enemy could
recover.
28 "It works beautifully in practice," praised The Hawk. "If it worked
half as well in the field, they would destroy the enemy."
29 The boat returned with exciting news. The harbor at Ze was wide
open. Not only that, the enemy had torn down the lakeward wall of both
cities to build four new docks. Once in the harbor there was nothing to
keep them from storming the city.
30 "Once we have the city," said Bright Star, "there is only one place
to fight a major battle. Half a day up the road to the north
are the only open fields in eight day's travel. If we are there and
ready when the enemy comes, the on shore wind will be at our backs. It will be the
perfect place to use the powder."