the flood would be upon it by daybreak , and , assuming that the demoralization produced by the news of the coming of the waters , which we were aware had hours before been flashed to the capital of mars , would prevent the martians from effectively manning their forts , we thought it safe to hasten on with the flagship , and one or two others , in advance of the water , and to hover over the lake of the sun in the darkness , in order that we might watch the deluge perform its awful work in the morning .