r sit there without moving. She seemed willing enough to do that;
she still had not spoken, but her eyes were watching us closely.

Dr. Brende was examining the smashed instruments. "Ruined. We cannot use
them. Those messages--we must send them. I must talk to Robins----"

We went into the corridor, out of earshot of the girl, but where we
could watch her. That we were in immediate danger was obvious, and we
all realized it. Ahla had told some of her people that we were here on
the island; doubtless was planning to have them come here at once and
seize us.

How far away from us were they? I had seen in the mirror the interior of
a cave-like room. Where was it? Might it not be near at hand--over on
the mainland? Might not these enemies arrive on the island at any
moment?

Georg suggested that we send our messages from the aeros. We had my own
car--and a larger car of the Brendes. More than ever now, Dr. Brende was
worried over the safety of his Siberian laboratory; but from the aero we
could talk to Robins.

We went to the landing stage. I wanted to tie up Ahla, but as Georg
said, she could do nothing now that the instrument room was out of
commission. We admonished her sternly to stay where she was, and left
the house.

On the open landing stage my small aero was lying where I had left it;
but a moment's glance showed us it was wrecked--its instruments and its
driving mechanism demolished!

There was no doubt about it now; Ahla had planned to keep us on the
island while her people came and seized us. Fortunately the Brende car
was well housed and barred. We saw that the gates had been tampered
with, but with the limited time Ahla had to work in, she had been unable
to force them. We swung them wide, and to our infinite relief found the
car unharmed.

At once Dr. Brende called Robins. But the laboratory did not answer!

"It may be your sending apparatus," I suggested. "Send your message down
to Headquarters--with their high power they'll get Robins quickly
enough."

He tried that--sending also his answer to the previous coded message
Headquarters had sent him. It was now 11:45. We waited some eight
minutes, during which time I rushed back to the house. Ahla was sitting
obediently where I had left her.

"You stay there," I told her. "If you move, I'll break every bone in
your rotten little body."

Back at the landing stage I found Dr. Brende in despair. Headquarters
could not raise Robins. They had relayed