Page:Robert William Cole - The Struggle for Empire; A Story of the Year 2236 (1900).djvu/145

Rh larger. They sped on at the same rapid pace, but soon the speed had to be slackened and they proceeded more carefully as they approached the orbit of Neptune; for here there were vast fleets manœuvring about trying to catch one another at a disadvantage.

Herbert Eastland was in his room for hours at a time carefully watching for the needles to indicate any approaching mass. The disc of Neptune became larger, spreading out into a vast glowing sphere, that showed continents, seas, islands, and rivers. The engines were reversed, and they carefully wended their way along as the needles moved this side, that side, passing by single ships, squadrons, and divisions thirsting for one another's destruction. Sometimes they passed quite close to the edge of a battle area, where thousands of guns were vomiting forth fire and smoke, and the blinding flashes caused by the rays of Ednogen meeting together lighted up every cabin in the ship. At last they plunged into the