what damage can be done by physical strength, and left us
alone with a mere flesh-and-blood guard. There are forty of the
Orconites and their leader, and only four of us. But we have strength
that they never dreamed of possessing. It makes the odds almost even!"

"Right," I snapped. "And they will be even altogether if we can get hold
of some clubs."

* * * * *

Koto and the others looked doubtful at that, but I had been thinking
hard of the problem all the while we were talking. I motioned
unobtrusively toward the end of the room, where a tunnel, blue-lighted
and lined with curious, glittering dials like ammeters, gave entrance,
evidently, to another great underground chamber. On the floor of that
tunnel, close to the entrance, lay a pile of heavy stalactites of some
mineral which resembled jade. The spikes had seemingly been cleared off
the tunnel roof and left to be carried away. They were pointed enough to
be used for stabbing, and looked heavy enough to make stout clubs.

Captain Crane smothered an exclamation as she glanced at the pile, and
Koto and LeConte smiled.

Our conversation all this while had been carried on with seeming
casualness, and not even the leader of the Orconites showed suspicion.
More than ever I felt that neither they nor Leider would be prepared to
defend the ship against a sudden physical attack.

"The weak point for us," I said, "is that we'll have to make an awful
row, and the alarm will go out, and eventually some weapon will be
brought out to stop us. But if we work quickly, there's a good chance
that we can finish everything before Leider is able to step in with some
devilish freak instrument. Take it easy until we've got the clubs, and
then cut loose for all you're worth. Captain Crane, it's a great pity
you're a woman. In all this you'll simply have to--"

I did not finish. Something in the look she gave me stopped me quite,
and somehow, whether I would admit it or not, I knew she was as fit as
we were. By this time we were strolling away from the ship toward the
tunnel.

* * * * *

Blue-lighted, brilliant, the opening loomed larger as we approached. The
same sounds of static on a vast scale which filled our cavern, filled
the tunnel, but the place was deserted. The pile of jade spikes
shimmered right at the entrance. A few of the guards behind us sauntered
at our heels without speaking, an