But not even that giant collision had been able to halt the tremendous momentum of our northward-thundering mass of cities; for as those cities before us crashed downward, the whole great circle of our mass, New York still at its center, was thundering on through the gap that that crash had made in the line before us! We were sweeping northward and out beyond that line that our great crash had shattered. We had won free only by means of that awful crash. Instantly, Yarnall had cried another order, and our great mass of air-cities was swiftly shifting its formation into a long line; and at its head rushed our own city of New York. And then, while the great circle of the enemy's combined armada remained there for the moment still behind us, as though stunned by our colossal crash and escape through it, the First Air Chief sent another order flashing forth. At once our line turned like a wheeling snake, high in the air, and was rushing back upon the circle of our enemies! We were rushing back and along the line of European Federation cities that made up that circle's eastern half for the moment. And, as our long line of mighty cities whirled past them, all our batteries were thundering upon them roaring death. [Illustration: Now our line turned like a wheeling snake, high in the air, and was rushing back upon the circle of our enemies. And as our long line of mighty cities whirled past them all our batteries were thundering.] The advantage now was all with us; since in their great circular formation more than half their great mass of cities could not reach us with their guns. And, so during that moment, the odds were more than even as our long line swept on, with all our batteries pouring their broadsides forth! Steady at the controls, I held New York at that colossal line's head, holding it at an even distance from the great circle of the enemy cities. I saw now that our terrific fire, as we rushed past those cities, was swiftly in that moment taking effect upon them. Even as I gazed, Amsterdam, Vienna, Cairo and Madrid were falling beneath the awful concentrated fire of our rushing cities; and in our own line Buenos Aires staggered, swayed and fell as the enemy barked savagely back toward us. "On!" Yarnall was crying beside me: "It's our chance to strike hard at them--before they can bring the rest of their cities into action!" "But they're doing it now!" I shouted back to him, above the thunder of guns, the drone of motors and hissing tube-propellers. "They're stringing their circle out into a line also!"