the city, compared to its size. The next thing was the entire absence
of women. The roar of machines smote upon his consciousness as a bad
third, though they made din enough. Perhaps he ignored the machine
noises because the ornithopter on which they had arrived made such a
racket itself.

They landed on a paved space perhaps a hundred yards by two hundred,
three sides of which were walled off by soaring towers. The fourth
gave off on empty space, and he realized that he was still at least a
hundred feet above the ground. The ornithopter landed with a certain
skilful precision and its wings ceased to beat. Behind it, the two
fixed-wing machines soared down, leveled, hovered, and settled upon
amazingly inadequate wheels. Their pilots got out and began to push
them toward one side of the landing area. Tommy noticed it, of course.
He was noticing everything, just now. He said amazedly:

"Evelyn! They launch these planes with catapults like those our
battleships use! They don't take off under their own power!"

The six men on the ornithopter put their shoulders to their machine
and trundled it out of the way. Tommy blinked at the sight.

"No field attendants!" He gazed out across the open portion of the
land area and saw an elevated thoroughfare below. Some sort of
vehicle, gleaming like gold, moved swiftly on two wheels. There was a
walkway in the center of the street with room for a multitude. But
only two men were in sight upon it. "Lord!" said Tommy. "Where are the
people?"

There was brief talk among the crew of the ornithopter. Two of them
picked up Tommy's weapons, and the pilot he had wounded made a gesture
indicating that he should follow. He led the way to an arched door in
the nearest tower. A little two-wheeled car was waiting. They got into
it and the pilot fumbled with the controls. As he worked at it--rather
clumsily on account of his arm--the rest of the ornithopter's crew
came in. They wheeled out another vehicle, climbed into it, and shot
away down a sloping passage.

* * * * *

Their own vehicle followed and emerged upon the paved and nearly empty
thoroughfare. Tall buildings rose all about them, with curved walls
soaring dizzily skyward. There was every sign of a populous city,
including the dull drumming roar of many machines, but the streets
were empty. The little machine moved swiftly for minutes. Twice it
swung aside and entered a sloping incline. Once it went