than that," interrupted DuQuesne. "Next to you,
Seaton, I'm the fastest man with a gun here. Also, like you, I can use
both hands at once. Give me a couple of clips of those special
cartridges and you and I will blow that bunch into the air before they
know we're here."

It was decided that the two pistol experts should take the lead, closely
followed by Crane and Dunark. The weapons were loaded to capacity and
put in readiness for instant use.

"Let's go, bunch!" said Seaton. "The quicker we start the quicker we'll
get back. Get ready to run out there, all the rest of you, as soon as
the battle's over. Ready? On your marks--get set--go!"

He kicked the door open and there was a stuttering crash as the four
automatic pistols simultaneously burst into practically continuous
flame--a crash obliterated by an overwhelming concussion of sound as the
X-plosive shells, sweeping the entire roof with a rapidly-opening fan of
death, struck their marks and exploded. Well it was for the little group
of wanderers that the two men in the door were past masters in the art
of handling their weapons; well it was that they had in their tiny
pistol-bullets the explosive force of hundreds of giant shells! For rank
upon rank of soldiery were massed upon the roof; rapid-fire cannon,
terrible engines of destruction, were pointing toward the elevators and
toward the main stairways and approaches. But so rapid and fierce was
the attack, that even those trained gunners had no time to point their
guns. The battle lasted little more than a second, being over before
either Crane or Dunark could fire a shot, and silence again reigned even
while broken and shattered remnants of the guns and fragments of the
metal and stone of the dock were still falling to the ground through a
fine mist of what had once been men.

Assured by a rapid glance that not a single Mardonalian remained upon
the dock, Seaton turned back to the others.

"Make it snappy, bunch! This is going to be a mighty unhealthy spot for
us in a few minutes."

Dorothy threw her arms around his neck in relief. With one arm about
her, he hastily led the way across the dock toward the Skylark, choosing
the path with care because of the yawning holes blown into the structure
by the terrific force of the explosions. The Skylark was still in place,
held immovable by the attractor, but what a sight she was! Her crystal
windows were shattered; her mighty plates of four-foot Norwegian armor
w