Far away the cannon groaned and thundered, and the waves of air pulsed heavily, but John noticed neither now.

His whole attention was centered upon the flag, and what it might call from the air.
"In such a brilliant atmosphere we can certainly see our visitors from afar," he said.
"So we can," said Weber, "and lo! another appears out of the east!" The dark speck showed on the horizon and grew fast, coming apparently straight in their direction.

John did not believe it had seen their flag at first, owing to the great distance, but was either a messenger or a scout.

As it soon began to descend from its great height in the air, although still preserving a straight course for the tree, he felt sure that the flag had now come into its view.

It grew very fast in size and was outlined with startling clearness against the burning blue of the sky.
The approaching machine consisted of two planes alike in shape and size, superimposed and about six feet apart, the whole with a stabilizing tail about ten feet long and six feet broad.