But everything, after all, was quite shrunk by the overpowering sweep of the wings.

These dwarfed the fast-gathering group that stood peering up at them, like pygmies under the pinions of the fabled roc in Sinbad the Sailor's story.
These stupendous wings, the captain now saw, were not braced together by hampering struts and wires, but seemed cantilevered into position, giving a clean run to the structure, great simplicity, and the acme of mechanical beauty.

This giant bird of heaven lay in its nest, free of pattern, powerful beyond any air-mechanism ever built by man, almost a living thing, on whose back its captors might ride aloft defying man and nature, to whatsoever goal they chose.
"Everything is ready," said the Master.

"That is quite obvious.

Let us get aboard now, with no further delay, and be off!" He drew a little notebook from his pocket, took a pencil, and faced the gathering group inside the second stockade.
"Stow your equipment," he directed "according to your orders.