ncandescent vents, shooting their flaming tongues
boldly into the sky, warming the air and casting that rich, amber
radiance over all.

"That is Mount Ossa nearest us," the Atlantean's voice came as though
from a long distance. Victor Nelson was too staggered, too unspeakably
amazed to register the fact of the Hero's proximity. "Below are Pelion
and Jilboa, which, with Jabor, the greatest of all the flames,
illuminate and warm the valley."

Nelson's eye, trained to be all observant, ranged far and wide, noting
the presence of many lacy, frothing geysers which spouted at varying
intervals. There were, also, many steaming ponds and waterfalls which
sprang in smoky confusion from the rock palisades to either side.

* * * * *

Nearer at hand he could distinguish a number of huge stone structures,
evidently forts and public buildings. Strategically placed all about
were more of those terrible brass retortii, gleaming dully under the
incandescent glare of the flame sun.

"Come," cried Hero Giles with an impatient gesture of his hand, "we
must e'en hasten to the tube-road terminal. Word has long since been
sent to Heliopolis of thy arrival."

Downwards into the valley, which grew ever warmer and more fertile,
the Atlantean led on, explaining a thousand and one details to the
astounded aviator. Presently they approached the nearest of the great
stone structures and Nelson received yet another shock. In a courtyard
was drilling what would correspond to a troop of cavalry in the outer
world. In orderly ranks the troopers wheeled, marched and
counter-marched, their brazen armor twinkling and clashing softly as
they carried out their evolutions with an amazing precision. But what
astonished Nelson was the fact that each of these strange troopers
bestrode a lithe, long-limbed variety of dinosaur, a good half smaller
than the allosauri he had encountered in the tunnel. These agile
creatures ran about on their hind legs with astonishing speed, using a
long reptilian tail as a balance.

On the back of each trooper was fastened a compact circular copper
tank, from which sprouted a flexible metal hose that ended in what
looked like a ponderous type of pistol.

In distinction to the red of the artillerymen and the blue of the
Hoplites, these curious cavalrymen wore brilliant crests of yellow
feathers, and from their lance tips fluttered tiny pennons of that
same color.

"They must travel at least