ber of the halogen series,
Morey. I'll bet they have a number of those heavier elements."

The gas was loaded aboard the _Solarite_ that evening, and when Wade saw
the quantity that they had said was "rather disappointingly small" he
laughed heartily.

"Small! They don't know what that gas will do! There's enough stuff
there to gas this whole city. Why, with that, we can bring down any
ship! But tell them to go on making it, for we can use it on the other
ships."

Again that night they spoke with Earth, and Morey, Senior, told them
that work was already under way on a hundred small ships. They were
using all their own ships already, while the Government got ready to act
on the idea of danger. It had been difficult to convince them that
someone on Venus was getting ready to send a force to Earth to destroy
them; but the weight of their scientific reputation had turned the
trick. The ships now under construction would be ready in three weeks.
They would be unable to go into space, but they would be very fast, and
capable of carrying large tanks of the gas-producing chemicals.

It was near midnight, Venerian time, when they turned in. The following
day they planned to start for the Kaxorian construction camp. They had
learned from Tonlos that there were but five of the giant planes
completed now, but there were fifteen more under construction, to make
up the fleet of twenty that was to attack Earth. These fifteen others
would be ready in a week--or less. When they were ready, the _Solarite_
would stand small chance. They must capture one of the giants and learn
its secrets, and then, if possible, with the weapons and knowledge of
two worlds, defeat them. A large order!

Their opportunity came sooner than they had hoped for--or wanted. It was
about three o'clock in the morning when the telephone warning hummed
loudly through the ship. Arcot answered.

Far to the east and south of them the line of scout planes that
patrolled all the borders of Lanor had been broken. Instantaneously, it
seemed, out of the dark, its lights obscured, the mighty Kaxorian craft
had come, striking a tiny scout plane head on, destroying it utterly
before the scout had a chance to turn from the path of the titanic ship.
But even as the plane spun downward, the pilot had managed to release a
magnesium flare, a blindingly brilliant light that floated down on a
parachute, and in the blaze of the white light it gave off, the other
scouts at a few