Naka!" he said.

* * * * *

The man called Naka, the leader whom Jeter had first struck, bowed low,
with deep respect, to the man in the doorway.

"Yes, O Sitsumi!" he said. As he spoke he sucked in his breath with that
snakelike hissing sound which is the acme of politeness, in Japan--"that
my humble breath may not blow upon you"--and spread wide his hands.
"They are extremely low persons and dared lay hands upon your
emissaries."

Eyer grinned again.

"I think," he called, "there transpired what might be called a general
laying on of hands by all hands."

"I deeply deplore your inclination to levity, Tema Eyer," said the man
in the doorway. "It is not seemly in one whose intelligence entitles him
to a place in our counsels."

Eyer looked at Jeter. What was the meaning of Sitsumi's cryptic
utterance?

"Bring them in," snapped Sitsumi.

Jeter studied the man with interest. He knew instantly who he was and
understood why Sitsumi had refused to answer his radio messages to
Japan. He couldn't very well have done so in the circumstances. Here,
under the broad dome of Sitsumi was probably the greatest scientific
brain of the century. Jeter saw cruelty in his eyes too; ruthlessness,
and determination.

The prisoners were marched into the room behind Sitsumi, who stepped
aside, looking curiously at Jeter and Eyer as they passed him. Inside
the door, pausing only a moment to glance over the big room's
appointments, Jeter turned on Sitsumi.

"Just what do you intend doing with us, Sitsumi?" he asked. "I suppose
it's useless to ask you, also, what the meaning of all this is?"

"I shall answer both your questions, Jeter," said Sitsumi. "Step this
way, please. The Three should hear our conference."

They were conducted into a smaller room. Its floors were covered with
skins. There were easy chairs and divans. It might have been their own
luxuriously appointed rooms at Mineola. At a long table three men--all
Orientals--were deeply immersed in some activity which bent their heads
absorbedly over the very center of the table. It might have been a
three-sided chess game, by their attitudes.

"Gentlemen!" said Sitsumi.

The three men turned.

"My colleagues, Wang Li, Liao Wu and Yung Chan," Sitsumi introduced
them. "Without them our great work would have been impossible."

* * * * *

Here were the three missing Chinese scientists. Jeter and Eyer had se