realized what was happening. Powell swept the squirming old king up
in the air, tore the Silver Belts from about the monarch's
shoulders, and flung the creature sprawling and senseless at the
pit's edge.

The lieutenant leaped for Powell's throat in a belated effort at
rescue, but Powell smashed a solid fist squarely into its snarling
face, and the brute collapsed with a broken neck.

Snatching his gun-belt from the fallen rat-man, Powell crammed new
clips of ammunition into the two guns and wheeled to confront the
rest of the rat-men. The detachment of guards, demoralized by the
dazzling speed of the captives' sortie, were milling in obvious
uncertainty.

Behind them the thousands of the main horde were chattering and
squealing in excited frenzy, dazed and bewildered by their king's
swift overthrow. The whole clearing was a seething mob of excited
beasts, stunned for the moment, but ready at any second to rally
from their shock and surge forward in a furious charge that would
sweep everything before it.

Powell menaced the rat-men with levelled guns while Joan, with
fingers that shook from excitement and haste, quietly buckled one of
the Silver Belts around each of them.

The guards rallied from their panic first. At a shrill command from
their leader, they began cautiously edging forward toward Joan and
Powell. The two gave ground slowly, working their way back over
toward the projecting tongue of rock. Out on the end of that narrow
strip, Powell knew that he could hold the horde at bay for a few
moments at least.

* * * * *

They reached the rocky projection, and began backing slowly and
carefully out toward its end. The guards, galvanized into action by
their captives' retreat, suddenly came surging forward in a furious
charge.

Powell emptied the two automatics in a crashing volley that nearly
wiped out the charging guards. The few survivors turned and fled in
panic back to the main horde. Powell reloaded his clips with
feverish haste.

The thousands of rat-men in the main horde were now milling in what
was apparently a last moment of hesitation before surging forward in
an irresistible stampede toward the beleaguered two out on the rocky
strip.

Several bolder individuals at the edge of the horde edged a step
forward. Their example was followed by a hundred others. Another
hesitant step or two--and then the whole horde was in motion.

Powell swept the front rank wi