ent, now turned off, always kept the phantis from
crashing through.

Judd smiled more widely. "I guess I'll increase the power," his coarse
lips pronounced. "We'll see how you can duck a strong thin beam. I'll
give you about five minutes to climb over. After that you'll be burned
down slowly to a cinder. Now--will you climb? See--I'm moving the
lever over. Watch, now, and feel--"

* * * * *

Suddenly his voice broke off short. There had been a hiss--a
_spang_--a slight whip of sound. He glanced around swiftly. No, his
men had not noticed it. They were still laughing, roaring, swaying in
drunken merriment. The Kite's lips curved upward again. He continued:

"Feel the heat increase. It's stronger, now, and--"

Again the _spang_, the whip, the streak of something swift. The men
noticed his expression and quieted somewhat. Judd was looking around
him, and even as he saw what it was there came a cry from a pirate
nearby.

"Look! The fence!"

Judd's eyes widened; his lips slackened and lost their smile. The
noise, the laughs, the shouts, screams and oaths died into the night;
frightened silence fell over the group, and all that was left were the
concerted bellowings and snortings from the enraged herd of beasts
just beyond.

All--except for another _spang_ that sounded as a streak of orange
light arrowed from somewhere through the flickering torchlight. And
with its coming the third parallel strand of the corral-fence whipped
apart with a little singing swish, shot neatly through, as were the
two below it. Ten feet of fence on each side slumped visibly.

"Someone's shooting it through!" came a scared whisper. Yet still the
brigands, held fascinated by fear and puzzlement, stared at the fence
and at the surging crowd of stampede-crazy animals beyond.

Another _spang_, another streak of light! With deadly accuracy the
shot clove the fourth strand. The lower half of a whole section of
fence was gone. Behind it the bucking, red-eyed phantis inched
forward, still afraid of the electric shock they thought was somewhere
there, but drawn to the opening by their hatred of the two-legged
creatures so near. Closer, closer! Then the befuddled pirates found
their senses. Even as the fifth arrow of light came from the invisible
marksman and snapped the fifth strand, a concerted cry of fear of the
advancing beasts went up from the crowd of men.

"Run! Run! They're coming! They're coming out!"