We laid it under ground, of course, and it was all finished in a couple of hours or so.

We sha'n't have to leave our fortress now when we want to blow up our civilization." "It was the right move--and the natural one; military necessity, in the changed condition of things.

Well, what changes _have_ come! We expected to be besieged in the palace some time or other, but -- however, go on." "Next, we built a wire fence." "Wire fence ?" "Yes.

You dropped the hint of it yourself, two or three years ago." "Oh, I remember--the time the Church tried her strength against us the first time, and presently thought it wise to wait for a hopefuler season.

Well, how have you arranged the fence ?" "I start twelve immensely strong wires--naked, not insulated -- from a big dynamo in the cave--dynamo with no brushes except a positive and a negative one--" "Yes, that's right." "The wires go out from the cave and fence in a circle of level ground a hundred yards in diameter; they make twelve independent fences, ten feet apart--that is to say, twelve circles within circles--and their ends come into the cave again." "Right; go on." "The fences are fastened to heavy oaken posts only three feet apart, and these posts are sunk five feet in the ground." "That is good and strong." "Yes.