noon
Time after time we were repulsed until , toward noon , I began to fear for the result of the battle . The Zodangans numbered nearly a million fighting men , gathered from pole to pole , wherever stretched their ribbon-like waterways , while pitted against them were less than a hundred thousand green warriors . The forces from Helium had not arrived , nor could we receive any word from them . Just at noon we heard heavy firing all along the line between the Zodangans and the cities , and we knew then that our much-needed reinforcements had come . Again Tars Tarkas ordered the charge , and once more the mighty thoats bore their terrible riders against the ramparts of the enemy . At the same moment the battle line of Helium surged over the opposite breastworks of the Zodangans and in another moment they were being crushed as between two millstones . Nobly they fought , but in vain .