The automobile turned in through the great entrance gates of the South London Aeronautic Terminus and commenced a slow ascent along the broad asphalted road to what, a few years ago, had been esteemed a new wonder of the world.

Maggie rose to her feet with a little exclamation of wonder.
"Do you know I have never been here at night before ?" she exclaimed.
"Isn't it wonderful!" "Marvellous!" Nigel replied.

"It's the largest aeronautic station in the world--bigger, they say, than all our railway termini put together.

Look at the flares, Maggie! No wonder the sky from the housetop at Belgrave Square seems always to be on fire at night!" They were approaching now the first of the huge sheds which were arranged in circular fashion around an immense stretch of perfectly level asphalted ground.

Every shed was as big as an ordinary railway station, its arched opening framed with electric illuminations.