e much luck, Doctor," said Carnes.

"Why not?"

"Look behind."

Dr. Bird looked back toward the building they had tried to bomb. Across
the country, a truck loaded with armed men followed the course of the
plane. The plane was gaining slightly on the truck but it was evident
that the plane's occupants would have little chance of escaping on foot.
Dr. Bird gave a grim laugh.

"We're cornered all right," he said. "If we did elude the men in that
truck, we would have a plane after us in no time. You might as well turn
back, McCready, and land fairly near the building. We are sure to be
captured and our best chance is to have the plane near us. They'll
probably patch it up and if we get a chance to escape later, it may be a
lifesaver. At any rate, we've lost for the present."

* * * * *

McCready turned the plane again to the west. The truck halted at their
new maneuver. As the plane passed over, it turned and again followed
them. The ground was approaching rapidly. With a final dip, McCready
leveled off and made a landing. The machine rolled to a stop about a
mile from the building. The truck was less than three hundred yards
away. It came up rapidly and disgorged a dozen men armed with rifles who
hurried forward. In the lead was a tall, slight figure who carried no
gun. Dr. Bird stepped forward to meet them.

"Do you understand English?" he asked.

An incomprehensible jargon of Russian answered him. The men raised their
rifles threateningly. Dr. Bird turned back to his companions.

"Resistance is hopeless," he said. "Surrender gracefully and we'll see
what comes of it."

He faced the Russians and held one hand high above his head. The Russian
leader stepped forward and confiscated the doctor's pistol. He repeated
the process with Carnes and McCready, frisking them thoroughly for
concealed weapons. At his command, six of the Russians stepped forward.
The Americans took their place in the midst of the guard and were
marched to the truck. The balance of the Russians moved over to the
American's plane. The truck rolled forward and approached the low
building. The projection which Dr. Bird had noticed from the air proved
to be a metal tube projection from the roof, fully twenty feet in
diameter and fifty feet long.

"A projection tube of some sort," said the doctor, pointing. An excited
command came from the Russian in command. A rifle was leveled
threateningly at the doctor. He too