first in the field
so far and I reckon we'd better stop there. Pike's Peak, Washington and
Arequipa are all on to it. Europe and Australia will be getting there
pretty soon, so I don't think there's much the matter with you sending a
message to Greenwich this morning. The people there will find it all
right and we can run across from London when we've had our talk with the
Prime Minister and post them up in any other details they want. I'll
send a wire to Henchell and tell him to hurry up with his gun at
Pittsburg and send on news to all the American observatories. Then we'll
have breakfast and, as it's a cloudy morning, I think we might start
right away for London in the _Auriole_ and get this business fixed up.
The enemy doesn't know we're here at all, and so long as we keep above
the clouds there's no fear of anyone seeing us. The world has only
forty-four more days to live, so we might as well save one of those days
while we can."

The result of the somewhat informal council of war, for, in sober truth,
it was nothing else, was that the commanders of the airships were
invited to breakfast and the whole situation was calmly and plainly
discussed by those who from the morning would probably hold the fate of
the world in their hands. Not the least important of the aerograms which
had been received during the early morning had been one, of course in
code, from Captain Erskine of the _Ithuriel_ from Harwich, welcoming the
aerial fleet and giving details of his movements in conjunction with it
for the next ten days. The aerogram also gave the positions of the
lighters loaded with ammunition which he had deposited round the English
shores in anticipation of its arrival.

Soon after eight o'clock a heavy mist came down over Whernside and its
companion heights, and Mr Parmenter went to one of the windows of the
big dining-room and said:

"I reckon this will just about fit us, Mr Lennard, so, if you've got
your portmanteau packed, have it sent up to the _Auriole_ at once, and
we'll make a start."

Within thirty minutes the start was made, and with it began the most
marvellous experience of Gilbert Lennard's life, not even excepting his
battle-trip in the conning-tower of the _Ithuriel_.

CHAPTER XXXIV

THE "AURIOLE"

"All aboard, I think, Captain Roker," said Mr Parmenter, as he walked
last to the top of the gangway ladder, and stood square-footed on the
white deck of the _Auriole_.

"All aboard, sir," repl