h move would mean the death of
my uncle, if he still lives. We must find some other way."

"Can you find loyal people?" Rick asked.

"A few. You must understand most people do not feel as I do about
Guevara. He is popular. Who knows where the loyalty of the people lies,
between individuals? One cannot be certain. So, I must use only men
loyal to me. There are such."

Montoya rose. "We will be allies, since we fight for the same thing,
which is San Luz. Let me see what kind of plan can be made. Go back to
your hotel, and I will come for you there. We will work this thing out
together." He shook hands with both boys, turned, and strode from the
restaurant.

Rick paid for their coffee and the boys joined Honorario, who was
waiting outside in the jeep. "He's a good, tough _hombre_," Rick told
the San Luzian. "You made a good choice."

"I am glad," Honorario said. "Someday he will be governor, like his
uncle."

While the boys were in Calor, the scientists had conducted another
series of shots. The tracings were spread out on the table when they
returned, and the group was engrossed in checking them over.

Rick and Scotty waited, watching. They knew from the quiet voices and
tense attitudes that something serious had been found. Then Williams
began to mark in the data on his sketch.

"This is where the explosion took place," he said. "Probably the magma
hit a quantity of water as it entered the new channel. Notice that the
channel is one we marked on here earlier as a probable path. So far,
we're guessing right. Now, my estimate is that the magma will move fast,
stopping only when it reaches this dike of solid basalt."

Hartson Brant wiped his face with his handkerchief. "It looks bad, Jeff.
The magma will reach the solid layer before we could possibly get to it
with a tunnel."

"What does that mean?" Rick asked.

Hobart Zircon answered him. "It means, Rick, that we no longer have time
to dig a vent. It means the people of this island will be lucky if they
can get away in time!"

CHAPTER XIII

Armed Revolt

David Riddle had fired the last series of shots from Connel's stations.
By unanimous consent, the last station at the volcanic pipe had been
omitted. Two stations would have to do for now. All agreed it would be
foolish to jeopardize a man by going near the guarded third station.

Since Riddle had the longest distance to travel, he had not arrived when
the boys returned to the hotel. Now, as Zir