n spoke into the
microphone. He could hear his voice boom out with thunderous
amplification and saw Scotty clap his hands to his ears.

Finally, he started the motor and let the plane warm, keeping an eye on
his gauges. When the manifold temperature got high enough he cut the
switch. He tested the control surfaces and he was satisfied. Now all he
needed was the governor.

Governor Montoya arrived within ten minutes. He inspected the plane and
its equipment and nodded his approval. "Very ingenious. Shall we try
it?"

"Yes, sir." Rick helped the governor in, buckled his safety belt, then
ran around and got into the pilot's seat. He started the motor, waved to
Scotty and the others, then taxied out to the runway. The tower gave him
clearance and he took off.

"We'll make a swing over the area and locate the troops," he explained,
"then I'll slow down as much as I can, and you can talk."

Rick climbed to a thousand feet and set a course directly for the Hot
Springs Hotel. He asked, "Sir, how many troops are there?"

"Our army numbers three companies, of about two hundred and fifty men
each. Then we have a few special units, including the transportation
platoons. Perhaps nine hundred in all. We do not need a large army. But
we need some kind of force. These are troubled times, and there is
always some danger that a revolutionary force might consider us an
excellent staging or training base for an invasion of a nearby country.
So, we keep prepared."

The Sky Wagon was over the hotel within minutes. Rick spotted a large
group of soldiers--he estimated about two hundred--dispersed around the
hotel. They probably thought they were guarding the conference.

He banked left and followed the contour of the mountain, and found
another group of soldiers camped near the pumice works.

"That is two companies accounted for, more or less," the governor
stated. "Now, can we find the third?"

It wasn't difficult. Rick followed the dirt road to San Souci, and found
the third large group marching in the direction of the mountain,
apparently about to join forces with the group at the pumice works.

"Let's take a look at the diamond pipe," he suggested, and pulled the
Sky Wagon around in a tight circle. He had his bearings, and the third
shot station was not difficult to locate. There was considerable
activity. Earth-moving machinery had been moved into place and was
operating. The yellow ground was already gone, and the equipment