l
directions. They made desperate attempts to attain the level at which we
hung above them. This was impossible, but many, getting an impetus by a
swift run in the denser portion of the atmosphere beneath, succeeded in
rising so high that they could discharge their electric artillery with
considerable effect. Others, with more or less success, repeated the
maneuver of the ship which had first attacked us, and thus the battle
gradually became more general and more fierce, until, in the course of
an hour or two, our squadron found itself engaged with probably a
thousand airships, which blazed with incessant lightning strokes, and
were able, all too frequently, to do us serious damage.

But on our part the battle was waged with a cool determination and a
consciousness of insuperable advantage which boded ill for the enemy.
Only three or four of our sixty electrical ships were seriously damaged,
while the work of the disintegrators upon the crowded fleet that floated
beneath us was terrible to look upon.

Our strokes fell thick and fast on all sides. It was like firing into a
flock of birds that could not get away. Notwithstanding all their
efforts they were practically at our mercy. Shattered into
unrecognizable fragments, hundreds of the airships continually dropped
from their great height to be swallowed up in the boiling waters.

Yet they were game to the last. They made every effort to get at us, and
in their frenzy they seemed to discharge their bolts without much regard
to whether friends or foes were injured. Our eyes were nearly blinded by
the ceaseless glare beneath us, and the uproar was indescribable.

At length, after this fearful contest had lasted for at least three
hours, it became evident that the strength of the enemy was rapidly
weakening. Nearly the whole of their immense fleet of airships had been
destroyed, or so far damaged that they were barely able to float. Just
so long, however, as they showed signs of resistance we continued to
pour our merciless fire upon them, and the signal to cease was not given
until the airships, which had escaped serious damage began to flee in
every direction.

"Thank God, the thing is over," said Mr. Edison. "We have got the
victory at last, but how we shall make use of it is something that at
present I do not see."

"But will they not renew the attack?" asked someone.

"I do not think they can," was the reply. "We have destroyed the very
flower of their fleet."