ring back for the
hundredth time darkness more shattering than their instantly renewed
light over all Illinois. Then the tune and lights ceased together, and
we heard one single devastating wail that shook all the horizon as a
rubbed wet finger shakes the rim of a bowl.

'Ah, that is my new siren,' said Pirolo. 'You can break an iceberg in
half, if you find the proper pitch. They will whistle by squadrons now.
It is the wind through pierced shutters in the bows.'

I had collapsed beside Dragomiroff, broken and snivelling feebly,
because I had been delivered before my time to all the terrors of
Judgment Day, and the Archangels of the Resurrection were hailing me
naked across the Universe to the sound of the music of the spheres.

Then I saw De Forest smacking Arnott's helmet with his open hand. The
wailing died down in a long shriek as a black shadow swooped past us,
and returned to her place above the lower clouds.

'I hate to interrupt a specialist when he's enjoying himself,' said De
Forest. 'But, as a matter of fact, all Illinois has been asking us to
stop for these last fifteen seconds.'

'What a pity.' Arnott slipped off his mask. 'I wanted you to hear us
really hum. Our lower C can lift street-paving.'

'It is Hell--Hell!' cried Dragomiroff, and sobbed aloud.

Arnott looked away as he answered:

'It's a few thousand volts ahead of the old shoot-'em-and-sink-'em game,
but I should scarcely call it _that_. What shall I tell the Fleet, sir?'

'Tell 'em we're very pleased and impressed. I don't think they need wait
on any longer. There isn't a spark left down there.' De Forest pointed.
'They'll be deaf and blind.'

'Oh, I think not, sir. The demonstration lasted less than ten minutes.'

'Marvellous!' Takahira sighed. 'I should have said it was half a night.
Now, shall we go down and pick up the pieces?'

'But first a small drink,' said Pirolo. 'The Board must not arrive
weeping at its own works.'

'I am an old fool--an old fool!' Dragomiroff began piteously. 'I did not
know what would happen. It is all new to me. We reason with them in
Little Russia.'

Chicago North landing-tower was unlighted, and Arnott worked his ship
into the clips by her own lights. As soon as these broke out we heard
groanings of horror and appeal from many people below.

'All right,' shouted Arnott into the darkness. 'We aren't beginning
again!' We descended by the stairs, to find ourselves knee-deep in a
grovelling crowd, som