"Keep your filthy paws off me!" he cried. "I know when I'm bested, and
I'll come quietly, but I won't be dragged."

The men looked at their leader for orders. From behind his light, the
Russian studied his opponent. He gave vent to a stream of guttural
Russian. The men fell back.

"For your information, Doctor," he said in a sneering tone. "I have
told my men to follow you closely, gun in hand. At the slightest sign
of hesitation, or at the first attempt to escape, they will fire. They
are excellent shots."

"Lead on, Saranoff," was Dr. Bird's cheery comment.

With a shrug of his shoulders, the leader of the Young Labor party
turned and made his way along the track toward the wharf. Dr. Bird
looked anxiously ahead as they approached, fearing that Feodrovna
Androvitch would be discerned in her hiding place. Saranoff correctly
interpreted his gaze.

"Does der Herr Doktor Vogel eggspect somevun?" he asked in the voice
which had first come over Dr. Bird's telephone. The doctor started and
the Russian went on in the voice of the doctor's secretary. "I'm so
glad you came, Dr. Bird. I am going to take you directly to the main
base of our dearly beloved friend, Ivan Saranoff."

An expression that was a mixture of chagrin and relief spread over Dr.
Bird's face.

"Sold, by thunder!" he cried.

The Russian laughed sardonically and tramped on in silence. Tied to
the Romney Creek wharf was a boat with powerful electric motors,
driven by storage batteries. At a nudge from his captors, Dr. Bird
took his place in the craft. It glided silently away down the creek
toward the Chesapeake's mouth.

* * * * *

In the bay, the boat veered to the south and ran along the shore until
the mouth of Bush River opened before them. It turned west up the
river, coming to a halt at one of the occasional bits of high ground
which bordered the river.

"We get off here, Doctor," said Saranoff. "My base, which you have
wasted so much time seeking, lies within a hundred yards of this
point. Before I take you there, you may be interested in watching us
conceal our boat."

Before the doctor's surprised gaze, the edges of a huge box rose above
the surface of the water, around the electric boat. The boat was
raised and water could be heard running out of the box which held it.
When the box was drained, a man leaped in and made some adjustments. A
cover, hinged on one side, swung over and closed the box tightly wit