rre!" he said convulsively. "We've got to strike once
more! And then--run!"

He plunged into their enemies with every bit of energy that he had left,
and saw two of them toppling down. Then, like a flash, he turned to
Lazarre, who was trying to fight off three of the Lodorians. Seizing one
of them by the waist, Dirk hurled him backward and he disposed of
another one in the same manner. His sheer desperation seemed to have
given him unbounded strength and power.

Lazarre sent his third opponent down with a blow under the chin and
then, with Dirk at his side, they turned to the assistance of
Steinholt.

With one mad rush they crashed into a group of Lodorians and sent them
reeling away like so many nine-pins.

"Now! To the plane!" exclaimed Dirk, taking to his heels across the
terrace. Steinholt and Lazarre followed after him and, turning the
corner, they saw that the ship was in place and that Fragoni was
anxiously waiting by the door of the cabin. Inga, Dirk knew, already was
inside and safe. He stood aside while Steinholt and Lazarre leaped in.
During the momentary wait he caught a glimpse of the great clock. It
was one minute to four. Dirk jumping into the plane and switched on the
helicopter without even waiting to close the cabin door.

* * * * *

The ship shot skyward like a rocket. When it reached an altitude of
thirty-five hundred feet, he turned it north and raced at top speed in
that direction.

It was miles away from the palace of Fragoni in less than thirty
seconds. Dirk then stopped the plane and held it poised in the air with
the helicopter.

The skies were turgid and black and the massed clouds, reflecting the
lights of the great city below them, were permeated with an ugly,
feverish, red glow.

From where they were hanging in midair, the occupants of the plane could
plainly see the sparkling palace of Fragoni towering high up into the
darkness of the night.

The lights of the magnificent mansion were reflected far out into the
Sound where, looming in the golden ripples, lay the sinister monster
from the terrible depths of unfathomable space.

Dirk took a watch from his pocket and, after glancing at it, he hastily
replaced it.

"Two seconds more," he said, "and--"

* * * * *

A sharp and dazzling bolt of greenish fire came hurling suddenly out of
the west and, with a thunderous concussion, seemed to fasten itself on
the crest