"I say," began the American.
"Well?"
"That airship facing the incline can come out of its dogbox all right, but I don't see how the others can be turned. There can't be more than a few feet between their extremities and the cliff when they are hauled out."
"They can be guided round by ropes."
"Hardly. The faintest bump would do no end of damage."
"I wish the whole crowd of them would meet with no end of damage," said the Sub vengefully. "But come on, we mustn't hang about here till morning. I heard those fellows say that one of the airships was to be made ready by daybreak."
"One minute; I guess I'd like to look around over there," said Detroit, pointing to the centre of the circular bed of the pit. So saying, he made his way cautiously from the shelter of the cliff, and Hamerton, guessing that his comrade was on the verge of a new discovery, followed.
For the first ten yards the floor was literally covered with a network of tram lines. There were treble parallel tracks, points, and sidings galore. It reminded the Sub of a miniature Clapham junction.
Presently Detroit stopped abruptly.
"I thought so," he announced. "We've hit the edge of a gigantic turntable. This is how they slew round their blessed Zeppelins."