The great struggle for its sheer intensity was appalling, as the two giant fleets hung there unmoving, high in the air, each unheeding its own danger, intent only upon annihilating the other. I was aware, as though I were a spectator, that I was shouting hoarse commands into the order-phone, that in obedience to those commands our gun-crews beneath were working the great heat-guns like madmen, loosing an unceasing hail of shining shells toward the fleet opposite, shouting as they did so even as Macklin and Hilliard were shouting wildly beside me. I was aware of heat-shells that seemed exploding all around us, of brilliant and unceasing flares of blinding heat and light that burst in dozens each second amid either fleet, their cruisers whirling downward now in score of hundreds. I know now that that motionless battle there in mid-air could not have exceeded a few minutes, yet then it seemed an eternity. I was aware dimly that our ships were falling faster than the Europeans, that their greater numbers were telling upon us once more here in the open air, and that but few more than a thousand ships were left to us, no more than half of our original number. Yet more than twice that number of European cruisers remained, smothering us with shining shells! Then suddenly the silver-striped ship of the First Air Chief, that had swayed beside our own, turned westward, and at the same moment Yarnall's voice came sharply from the distance-phone. "Retreat-formation!" he was shouting. "All ships retreat westward at full speed!" "Retreat!" My cry was one of incredulity, of mad anger. Retreat--we were beaten, then, our great battle lost--I was aware of Macklin hovering in irresolutely over the wheel, of Hilliard almost sobbing in his rage. Then despite our fury the sense of discipline was reasserting itself, and with the First Air Chief's ship at its head, our great mass of ships was turning, was forming swiftly into a great T, the longer column or stem of it pointing westward, moving westward at swiftly mounting speed with the flagship at its head, while the shorter column or head of the T lay across its rear at right angles. This protected us somewhat from the European fleet that now was leaping swiftly after us, triumphant, exultant at our flight. Our stern guns still firing toward them as they leapt upon our track, we raced westward, on until at full speed. And now, even as the thunder of guns still came to our ears from behind, a dull, dead silence reigned over our own ship, and those about us, Macklin and Hilliard as silent beside me as myself, a silence of the apathy of utter dismay and despair. For never, surely, had any American fleet ever thus fled homeward, before, pursued by a conquering enemy.