noon
About a mile from the main camp we encountered their outposts and , as had been prearranged , accepted this as the signal to charge . With wild , ferocious cries and amidst the nasty squealing of battle-enraged thoats we bore down upon the Zodangans . We did not catch them napping , but found a well-entrenched battle line confronting us . 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 .