as
my move, I could have taken your queen," said one of them. Outside there
was a noise like the roaring of the lion-house at the Zoo; your
anti-aircraft gun has a growl of its own. "They're here," said some one,
and we all made for the terrace.

I looked up and saw in the dim altitudes a long silvery object among the
stars. As the searchlights played upon it, it seemed almost diaphanous,
and the body appeared to undulate like a trout seen in a clear stream.
Jupiter shone hard and bright in the southern hemisphere, and suddenly a
number of new planets appeared in the firmament as though certain stars
shot madly from their spheres. Round and about the monster came and went
these exploding satellites. Then another appeared close under her, and
like a frightened fish she swerved sharply and was lost to view among
the Pleiades.

"Let's go and see what's happened," said one of my friends. "I hear
she's dropped a lot of bombs down----."

As we went down the street I saw that for about two hundred yards ahead
it was sparkling as with hoar-frost. Suddenly the soles of our boots
"scrunched" something underfoot. I looked down. The ground was covered
with splinters of glass. As we drew nearer we caught sight of a cordon
of police, and behind them a great fire springing infernally from the
earth, and behind the fire a group of soldiers, whose figures were
silhouetted against the background. Our way was impeded by curious
crowds, among whom one heard the familiar chant of "Pass along, please!"

We stopped. Close to us two men were stooping with heads almost knocking
together and searching the ground, while one of them husbanded a lighted
match against the wind.

"Blimey, Bill," said one to the other, "I've found 'un!"

"What have you found?" we asked of him.

"A souvenir, sir!"

Truly, they know not the stomach of this people.

FOOTNOTES:

[30] See Chapter XXV.

[31] See Chapter XI.

[32] _Ibid._

THE END

_Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, LIMITED, _Edinburgh_.

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