ating. I'd better get a wrecking
train with a crane on it and a steam shovel here. A gang of men with
picks and shovels might be useful, too."

He hurried to the railroad officials. The sight of his gold badge had
the desired result. Telegraph keys began to click and telephones to
ring. Carnes was sorely tempted to explore the hole himself, but he
resisted the temptation. Dr. Bird was not always pleasant when his
colleagues departed from the orders he had given.

* * * * *

The morning passed, and the first part of the afternoon. Two wrecking
trains stood with steam up at the edge of the hole. Grouped by the
trains were a hundred negroes with shovels and picks. Carnes sat at
the edge of the hole and stared down into it. He was roused from his
reverie by the sound of a motor.

From the north came an airplane. High over the hole it passed, and
then swerved and descended. On the under side of the wings could be
seen the insignia of the Air Corps. Carnes jumped to his feet and
waved his hat. Lower came the plane until it roared across the cavern
less than a hundred feet above the ground. Two figures leaned out and
examined the terrain carefully. Carnes waved again. One of the figures
waved a hand in reply. The plane rose in the air and straightened out
toward Charleston.

"We'll have the doctor here in a few minutes now," said Carnes to the
Colonel. "It might be a good plan to send a motorcycle out along the
Charleston road to bring him in. We don't want the guards to delay
him."

The colonel gave an order and a motorcycle shot off down the road. In
half an hour it came sputtering back with a huge Cadillac roaring in
its wake. The car drew up and stopped. From it descended two men. The
first was a small, wizened figure with heavy glasses. What hair age
had left to him was as white as snow. The second figure, which towered
over the first, was one to merit attention anywhere.

* * * * *

Dr. Bird was as light on his feet and as quick and graceful as a cat,
but there was nothing feline about his appearance. He stood well over
six feet in his stockings and tipped the beam close to the two
hundred mark. Not one ounce of fat was on his huge frame. So fine was
he drawn that unless one looked closely he would never suspect the
weight of bone and muscle that his unobtrusive tweed suit covered.
Piercing black eyes looked out from under shaggy brows. His face was