and every
darkam's delay is dangerous."

The Earth-people quickly secured the few personal belongings they had
brought with them. Stepping out into the hall and waving away the
guards, Seaton motioned Dunark to lead the way. The other captives fell
in behind, as they had done before, and the party walked boldly toward
the door of the palace. The guards offered no opposition, but stood at
attention and saluted as they passed. As they approached the entrance,
however, Seaton saw the major-domo hurrying away and surmised that he
was carrying the news to Nalboon. Outside the door, walking directly
toward the landing dock, Dunark spoke in a low voice to Seaton, without
turning.

"Nalboon knows by this time that we are making our escape, and it will
be war to the death from here to the Skylark. I do not think there will
be any pursuit from the palace, but he has warned the officers in charge
of the dock and they will try to kill us as soon as we step out of the
elevator, perhaps sooner. Nalboon intended to wait, but we have forced
his hand and the dock is undoubtedly swarming with soldiers now. Shoot
first and oftenest. Shoot first and think afterward. Show no mercy, as
you will receive none--remember that the quality you call 'mercy' does
not exist upon Osnome."

Rounding a great metal statue about fifty feet from the base of the
towering dock, they saw that the door leading into one of the elevators
was wide open and that two guards stood just inside it. As they caught
sight of the approaching party, the guards raised their rifles; but,
quick as they were, Seaton was quicker. At the first sight of the open
door he had made two quick steps and had hurled himself across the
intervening forty feet in a long football plunge. Before the two guards
could straighten, he crashed into them, his great momentum hurling them
across the elevator cage and crushing them into unconsciousness against
its metal wall.

"Good work!" said Dunark, as he preceded the others into the elevator,
and, after receiving Seaton's permission, distributed the weapons of the
two guards among the men of his party. "Now we can surprise those upon
the roof. That was why you didn't shoot?"

"Yes, I was afraid to risk a shot--it would give the whole thing away,"
Seaton replied, as he threw the unconscious guards out into the grounds
and closed the massive door.

"Aren't you going to kill them?" asked Sitar, amazement in every feature
and a puzzled expre