southward, low down and glittering swiftly nearer,
were two little patches of nebulous light. And then two more, and then a
nebulous glow of swiftly driving shapes. Presently he could count them.
There were four and twenty. The first fleet of aeroplanes had come!
Beyond appeared a yet greater glow.

He swept round in a half circle, staring at this advancing fleet.
It flew in a wedge-like shape, a triangular flight of gigantic
phosphorescent shapes sweeping nearer through the lower air. He made a
swift calculation of their pace, and spun the little wheel that brought
the engine forward. He touched a lever and the throbbing effort of the
engine ceased. He began to fall, fell swifter and swifter. He aimed at
the apex of the wedge. He dropped like a stone through the whistling
air. It seemed scarce a second from that soaring moment before he struck
the foremost aeroplane.

No man of all that black multitude saw the coming of his fate, no man
among them dreamt of the hawk that struck downward upon him out of
the sky. Those who were not limp in the agonies of air-sickness, were
craning their black necks and staring to see the filmy city that was
rising out of the haze, the rich and splendid city to which "Massa Boss"
had brought their obedient muscles. Bright teeth gleamed and the glossy
faces shone. They had heard of Paris. They knew they were to have lordly
times among the "poor white" trash. And suddenly Graham struck them.

He had aimed at the body of the aeroplane, but at the very last instant
a better idea had flashed into his mind. He twisted about and struck
near the edge of the starboard wing with all his accumulated weight. He
was jerked back as he struck. His prow went gliding across its smooth
expanse towards the rim. He felt the forward rush of the huge fabric
sweeping him and his aeropile along with it, and for a moment that
seemed an age he could not tell what was happening. He heard a thousand
throats yelling, and perceived that his machine was balanced on the edge
of the gigantic float, and driving down, down; glanced over his shoulder
and saw the backbone of the aeroplane and the opposite float swaying up.
He had a vision through the ribs of sliding chairs, staring faces, and
hands clutching at the tilting guide bars. The fenestrations in the
further float flashed open as the aeronaut tried to right her. Beyond,
he saw a second aeroplane leaping steeply to escape the whirl of its
heeling fellow. The broad