ied Hiram Roker, "and now I reckon you'll have to
excuse me, because I've got to go below just to see that everything's in
working order."

"That's all right, Mr Roker. I know where your affections are centred in
this ship. You go right along to your engines, and Mr Hingeston will see
about the rest of us. Now then, Mr Lennard, you come along into the
conning-tower, and whatever you may have seen from the conning-tower of
the _Ithuriel_, I reckon you'll see something more wonderful still
before we get to London. You show the way, Newson. See, here it is, just
about the same. We've stolen quite a lot of ideas from your friend
Erskine; it's a way we've got on our side, you know. But this is going
to be one of the exceptions; if we win we are going to pay."

Lennard followed Mr Parmenter down the companion-way into the centre
saloon of the _Auriole_, and through this into a narrow passage which
led forward. At the end of this passage was a lift almost identical with
that on the _Ithuriel_. He took his place with Mr Parmenter and Mr
Hingeston on this and it rose with them into a little oval chamber
almost exactly like the conning-tower of the _Ithuriel_, with the
exception that it was built entirely of hardened papier-mache and glass.

"You see, Mr Lennard," said Mr Parmenter, "we don't want armour here.
Anything that hits us smashes us, and that's all there is to it. Our
idea is just to keep out of the way and do as much harm as we can from
the other side of the clouds. And now, Newson, if you're ready, we might
as well get to the other side and have a look at the sun. It's sort of
misty and cheerless down here."

"Just as easy as saying so, my dear Ratliffe. I reckon Hiram's got about
ten thousand horse-power waiting to be let loose; so we may as well let
them go. Hold on, Mr Lennard, and don't breathe any more than you can
help for a minute or two."

Lennard, remembering his cruise in the _Ithuriel_, held on, and also,
after filling his lungs, held his breath. Mr Hingeston took hold of the
steering-wheel, also very much like that of the _Ithuriel_, with his
left hand, and touched in quick succession three buttons on a
signal-board at his right hand.

At the first touch nothing happened as far as Lennard could see or hear.
At the second, a soft, whirring sound filled the air, growing swiftly in
intensity. At the third, the mist which enveloped Whernside began, as it
seemed to him, to flow downwards from the sky in l