‘Comrades, I had a dream. And in my dream Gæa, the Earth Mother, the All-Powerful, appeared to me and told me of the Giant Sorcerer and of the great war between all nature and mechanics that is to be. Then She said, “A child shall save you, if it is written that you will be saved. Bless him with my power over land and sky and sea.” The dream changed and I saw a boy alone upon a hillside. I woke. And we are here!’ The eagles stirred uneasily, but said nothing. Empyrean continued, turning to Raphael, ‘In the name of Gæa I confer on you power over the Earth, the Air, and the Sea. Through Her you may command nature, the wind, the thunder, the lightning, the earthquake, and the volcano. ‘Already we have called upon all the people to help us, the animals, the birds, the fish, and the reptiles. In this way we shall crush the Giant Sorcerer, who is our enemy.’ The eagle, whose voice had grown louder and louder, strutted fiercely up and down. When he finished, all the eagles screamed together, and struck their breasts, and raised their wings. Anger flashed from their yellow eyes. Then as at a signal they rose from the mountain on which they stood and flew in a circle above it. Faster and faster they flew, their wings sounding the thunder of flight. ‘Climb on my back quickly,’ commanded Chief of All the Eagles in the Sky. When Raphael was seated, Empyrean darted into the air, and led his warriors up and up until the boy felt dizzy in the cold light air. ‘Behold!’ screamed the eagle suddenly. Raphael looked down. Beyond the mountain lay the blue-white sea shimmering in the sunlight. Far below he noticed a black speck outlined against the ocean. It looked in the distance like a dragonfly. All the eagles cried out fiercely and beat their wings. ‘What’s the matter? What’s that?’ Raphael yelled, leaning along the eagle’s neck. ‘Is it an aeroplane?’ ‘Yes,’ screamed the eagle. ‘Is it the Giant Sorcerer?’ gasped Raphael. Chief of All the Eagles did not answer, but folding his wings dropped like a meteor toward the earth. Behind them swept the others like falling stars. CHAPTER III THE CASTLE OF THE SORCERER They fell earthward until Raphael felt dizzy and sick. His ears hummed; his stomach rose. He shut his eyes and clutched desperately at the feathers along the eagle’s back. After an agony of excitement, the wind-song died to a hum; they dropped less rapidly, and Raphael with a gulp opened his eyes. They were flying above the sea, which appeared in the morning light to be covered by a bright sheet of silver mail. The aeroplane of the Sorcerer had disappeared. The eagles bore Raphael swiftly toward a cloud which lay in the distance above the ocean. As they drew near, the cloud changed, and land appeared rising fresh and green out of the sea. On this land the boy made out a great palace of white marble. ‘Is this the Sorcerer’s castle?’ Raphael shouted into his friend’s ear. [Illustration: ‘IS THIS THE SORCERER’S CASTLE?’ RAPHAEL SHOUTED]