."

"You mean--?"

"Ivan Saranoff. We haven't heard of him or had any activity from him
for the last eight months. We know that he had a subterranean borer
with which he has penetrated deep into the earth. Isn't it possible
that he has, at some time in his explorations, come into contact with
these fellows and made friends with them?"

"It's possible, Doctor, but I hoped we had killed him when we
destroyed his borer."

"So did I, but he seems to bear a charmed life. Several times we have
thought him dead, only to have him show up with some new form of
devil's work. It is too much to hope that we have succeeded in doing
away with him. Did you notice one thing? Those fellows were helpless
while I held the light on them. The one which was holding us captive
got so interested in the discussion about our fate that he momentarily
forgot us. That was when I got my light. Until I turned the light away
from them, we were free men."

* * * * *

"That's right," answered the secret service man.

"Remember that. The next time we get a light on a bunch of them, hold
them in the beam until we can make terms."

"If we ever get hold of a light again."

"I have a light they didn't get, probably because I didn't think of it
while they were around. It is one of those fountain pen battery
affairs and they probably took it for a pen. I won't turn it on now,
partly to save it and partly not to let them know we have it. Let's
see what our prison is like."

They felt their way around the room. It proved to be eight paces by
ten in size. Like the tunnels it was floored with crepe rubber or some
similar substance which gave out no sound of footsteps, yet was firm
underfoot. The room was furnished with two beds, a table and two
chairs. There was no sign of a door.

"That's that," exclaimed the doctor when they had finished their
exploration. "I'm hungry. I wonder when we eat. Hello, here comes one
of the fellows now."

Carnes made no reply. As the doctor's speech ended, a wave of mental
power enveloped the room. One of the moles entered, moved over to the
table for an instant and then left the room. An earthly odor of
vegetables pervaded the room.

"My question is answered," said the doctor. "We eat now."

He moved to the table. On it had been placed dishes containing three
different types of roots. Two of them proved to be palatable, but the
third was woody and bitter. The prisoners made a hearty