ara_
were most strange.

"Good!" exclaimed the Master, with his first word of approval. Even
his aplomb was a little shaken by the complete success of the attack.
"It's all working like a clock."

"How about disarming these men, sir?" queried Captain Alden.

"No. They fall under the orders of another group."

"The way is clear, then--"

"Absolutely! These men will sleep almost precisely thirty minutes. The
way is clear ahead of us. Forward into the Palisade!"

CHAPTER VII

THE NEST OF THE GREAT BIRD

As the little group of four penetrated into the enclosure which but a
few moments before had been guarded all round its perimeter by a small
army of determined men, more and more of the Legionaries began to
concentrate toward the entrance.

Silently they came, with almost the precision of automata in some
complex mechanical process. All were obeying the Master's will,
because obedience was sweet to them; because it spelled adventure,
freedom, life.

Now and then one stopped, bent, arose with some added burden taken
from a fallen guard. Not one guard was to be injured in any manner.
Human life was not to be taken. But nothing in the way of armament was
to be left, by way of possible danger to the Legion. And already the
telephone-wires had been effectively cut.

All the approaching Legionaries wore rucksacks, and all were in their
respective uniforms, though every man still wore a long coat that
concealed it. A few groups of two appeared, bearing rather heavy
burdens.

The Master smiled again, and nodded, as he paused a moment at the
gate to peer down, along the line of the clearing between stockade and
forest.

"Here come some of the machine-guns," said he. "I shall be vastly
surprised if one man or one single bit of equipment fails to appear on
schedule time. Nothing like system, Bohannan--that, and knowing how to
choose your men!"

He turned, and the other three followed him into the enclosure.
Outside, all was developing according to plans and specifications.
They four were to be pioneers into the jealously guarded space
that for so long had been the mystery of the continent, yes, of the
civilized world.

The whole enclosure was well lighted with a profusion of electric
lamps. At first view, quite a bewildering mass of small buildings
appeared; but second glance showed order in them all. Streets had been
laid out, as in a town; and along these streets stood drafting-sheds,
workshops, storeh