the darkness below.

Bill formed two lines, parallel to and facing the river, and enclosing
the entire territory of the enemy between them. Above and below,
straddling the river, were two defensive lines. These latter were merely
to hold their positions. The others were to close in toward each other,
pushing a high-explosive barrage five miles ahead of them. When the two
barrages met, both lines were to switch to short-vision-range barrage
and continue to close in on any of the enemy who might have drifted
through the previous curtain of fire.

In the meantime Bill kept his reserves, a picked corps of a hundred men
(the same that had accompanied Hart and myself in our fight with the Han
squadron) in the air, divided about equally among the "kite-tails" of
four ships.

A final roll call, by units, companies, divisions and functions,
established the fact that all our forces were in position. No Han
activity was reported, and no Han broadcasts indicated any suspicion of
our expedition. Nor was there any indication that the Sinsings had any
knowledge of the fate in store for them. The idling of rep-ray
generators was reported from the center of their camp, obviously those
of the ships the Hans had given them--the price of their treason to
their race.

Again I gave the word, and Hearn passed on the order to his
subordinates.

Far below us, and several miles to the right and left, the two barrage
lines made their appearance. From the great height to which we had
risen, they appeared like lines of brilliant, winking lights, and the
detonations were muffled by the distances into a sort of rumbling,
distant thunder. Hearn and his assistants were very busy: measuring,
calculating, and snapping out ultrophone orders to unit commanders that
resulted in the straightening of lines and the closing of gaps in the
barrage.

The White Division Boss reported the utmost confusion in the Sinsing
organization. They were, as might be expected, an inefficient, loosely
disciplined gang, and repeated broadcasts for help to neighboring gangs.
Ignoring the fact that the Mongolians had not used explosives for many
generations, they nevertheless jumped at the conclusion that they were
being raided by the Hans. Their frantic broadcasts persisted in this
thought, despite the nervous electrophonic inquiries of the Hans
themselves, to whom the sound of the battle was evidently audible, and
who were trying to locate the trouble.

At this point,