But their opportunity for explanation was cut short. Powerful hands were thrust out of the darkness. Gagging fingers gripped their jaws simultaneously. The brief cry of Cassalano was choked off. The economist and mineralogist once more were prisoners.

  GUIDED by the solar light, a hunching, grotesque figure seemed to make its way over the ground with a hopping motion. Long arms swung knobs of fists to within inches of the rough ground. The figure was following a rather plain trail through one of the many great gardens of the city of Manyon.

  The trail was a veritable pathway. Many pairs of feet had trampled across the lush vegetation. Only in some spots the marks disappeared. The hunching figure would grope along until the trail was resumed.

  The explanation for the queerly intermittent trail was logically simple. It had been made by a party equipped with gravity belts. Occasionally they had used this lifting force. Due to the absence of any breeze to help carry them along, the men had returned to the ground.

  When the trail took the most time to find, the long-armed shadow emitted squeaky exclamations of disgust.

  "Dag-gone 'em!" he squealed once. "Wisht I only had me one of them jumpin' bean belts! I'd show 'em!"

  The queerly chivalrous, homely Monk had set out alone in the hope of trailing and rescuing Princess Lanta. For reasons which none but his illogical reasoning could have explained, the ape-shaped chemist greatly desired to appear heroic in the eyes of the beautiful young woman. Even if her chief aim in life seemed to be shooting him.

  Regretfully, Monk judged he was uttering his exclamations in a subdued voice that none could hear. His exclamations were much louder than he calculated. For Monk had fortified himself against being overcome by the death-and-inertia flutes. His very defense was his own downfall.

  Safely beyond range of the city of Manyon, the captors of Princess Lanta had encamped in a selected spot. With them they had a number of what seemed to be small balloons.

  "If any of the Manyon Uni-Ships arrive first, we'll be ready for them," said one silvery-skinned man, who seemed to be the leader.

  Monk could not hear the voice. Though the purple light streamed from the solar columns some distance away, this section of the city's vast gardens was deeply shadowed.

  But Monk's inner senses were attuned for the liquid voice which came from close by. It was so near the big chemist dropped on all-fours. If Ham could have seen him then, he resembled a gorilla more than ever before.

  "Release me and I shall not attempt to escape," came the voice of Princess Lanta. "I will go voluntarily to Zoro. It is the only way."

  "Dag-gone that woman!" squeaked Monk. "Betcha I'll have to carry her back home!"

  A wide grin spread over his homely, hairy face.

  "Now that wouldn't be so bad," he murmured. "Hope she makes me do it."

  Shadowy figures leaped toward him. He had been heard. Some of the Zoromen had flanked him by the simple expedient of hopping over him with their gravity belts. Now they were coming at Monk from all directions.

  The gleaming flutes appeared in several hands. The weird music swept over the garden. Monk reared to his short legs.

  "G'wan an' blow your heads off!" he squawked, "an' see what it gets you!"

  IT got the nearest pair of Zoromen with all the violence Monk could put into his reaching arms. Neither music nor chemicals could have had as instant effect. The skulls of the two Zoromen collided with a cracking crunch, Monk leaped upon two others.

  The flute blowers stared at him in astonishment. The gorilla of Doc's company must have a new kind of ears. The Zoromen saw they were very small and covered with bristly hair. Through one of the ears was a hole through which a finger could have been punched. It looked like a bullet had made the puncture.

  Disposing of two more of his enemies, Monk freed himself from another pair by using his arms like a catapult. The two men flew into the air, turning over and over. Monk flicked two small globes from his pocket.

  The chemist drew in a long breath and waited. The Zoromen nearest him toppled over. They went to sleep. The space around Monk was clear. The anaesthetic gas would evaporate in less than a minute.

  Monk caught the shimmering of Princess Lanta's golden garment.

  "I'll getcha, princess!" he squealed, and sprang forward.

  Zoromen leaped upon him from every side. By the sheer weight of numbers his flailing, contorting body was forced to the earth. A chunk of metallic rock drove down upon his skull.

  Chapter 17. DOC'S SHIP CRASHES

  THREE disgusted companions of Doc Savage paced the inner room of King Lumos's palace. They were listening intently for some word of the bronze man. King Lumos himself, and the queen, together with many of their staff, had remained awake.

  Outside, Crado and some of his men were cruising in a Uni-Ship. While the super-magnetic towers were cut off, they were keeping close watch. They were aware Zoro might discover the chance of using his own Uni-Ships.

  Search for Princess Lanta had failed. It had been widespread, but none had suspected the Zoromen of hiding so close by in the city gardens. Two hours had passed and no word had come from Doc and Long Tom, who had accompanied him. The bronze man had said he wanted to scout over Zoro's Land of Beyond.

  "And what's become of that big gorilla?" rasped Ham at the others. "Why couldn't he have stayed put? Where do you think he went? You don't suppose he wandered off and was caught?"

  "Monk can take care of himself," declared Renny. "Why are you always so worried about him? If he were here, you'd only be roasting him."

  "Maybe that's what I miss," snapped Ham. "If he had any brains he might be trusted out alone."

  But Ham's anxiety was for Monk's safety. And Monk had been absent nearly two hours. Still nothing had come over the radio speaker from Doc and Long Tom in the Uni-Ship.

  "Perhaps I should have insisted on one of my own operators going with Clark Savage," said King Lumos. "It seems unbelievable he could know so much about our Uni-Ships."

  "Don't worry about that angle of it," said Johnny. "Doc can always take care of himself."

  Johnny's faith in the man of bronze was abruptly disputed.

  "Calling King Lumos"--came from the radio speaker. "This is Doc Savage--Uni-Ship in trouble--Lost gravity control--Uni-Ship entered ground--Escape will take time--Cut in super-magnetic towers--Believe Zoro Uni-Ship in air outside--Wait--Cut in super-magnetic towers as requested--Uni-Ship electrified--See no escape--cut in towers--can't give position--"

  Doc's flowing voice was abruptly cut off. The radio buzzed and was silent. Then a new voice came suddenly.

  "It's Lanta!" exclaimed the queen. "Oh, Lanta--"

  "She's talking over the portable," said King Lumos. "Listen!"

  "This is Lanta--Hope you hear me--They've got the one of the funny face I like--got him and--we're--"

  Harsher voices buzzed and confused the speech of Princess Lanta.

  For the second time the radio speaker was silent. King Lumos sadly ordered the super-magnetic towers cut in. If Doc Savage and Long Tom survived, he said, this would prevent Zoro operating Uni-Ships to find them.

  "It's a good idea, for the time being," stated Ham. "But as soon as we can get organized, we'll have to ask you to cut the super-magnetic towers off again."

  Ham whipped through the doorway in the direction of the Uni-Ship place of housing.

  "You can cut off the towers," he added, "because we're going to find Doc and Long Tom. Maybe we'll even look for Monk."

  "ZORO could have picked up Doc's message as well as we could in the palace," declared Johnny. "I've been wondering about his call. Doc seldom ever lets any one know when he's in trouble."

  "Does seem queer," admitted Ham, "but these Uni-Ships can play some funny tricks. It would be the only thing he could do."

  Johnny and Ham, with Renny accompanying them, were in another Uni-Ship. Crado, the king's commander, was in charge. They were speeding toward the Land of Beyond. The skyless night was opaque. King Lumos had again turned on the solar columns.

  "I fear your bronze chief is really in trouble," commented Crado. "He is most remarkable, but the Uni-Ships are tricky. A touch on the wrong controls and it would be burrowing into the earth so fast none could prevent it."

  "Have you any means of detecting approximately where a wrecked ship might be?" inquired Renny. "How do we know we're headed in the direction taken by Doc?"

  Crado shook his head negatively.

  "I've been trying radio contact, but receive no response," said Crado. "Our detectors will reveal only a live, moving ship."

  Doc's three companions showed glum faces. They feared their bronze chief had been trapped by his own great courage.

  "Anyway," said Ham, "Doc was headed for the Land of Beyond."

  "We shall be over Zoro's dominion in a few minutes," advised Crado. "We should be prepared for trouble. Zoro's plan is to wreck the solar system of Manyon. He will stop at nothing."

  "I haven't quite understood how that is possible?" questioned Renny. His engineering interest had been keenly aroused. "The king has told us the solar system operates by deposits that act as vast storage batteries. They are kept charged by the constant discharge of electrical current into the earth in the form of lightning."

  "That is true," said Crado. "The power of our solar system is derived from highly magnetized strata in large deposits. Each stratum opposes the other. One has been given the effect of a direct current and the other of an alternating frequency. These operate like giant generators."

  "Then how can Zoro interfere with such a natural system?" insisted Renny. "No cable contacts exist to be disrupted."

  "No," said Crado. "But each stratum available to our city is reached by tunnels constructed many generations ago. With his new explosive force Zoro could blow up one of the magnetized beds."

  The Uni-Ship had arrowed through the inner world night for more than a thousand miles. Within the long cylinder there seemed no vibration. Now Crado terminated his explanation of Zoro's menace.

  The tall commander leaped to the Uni-Ship detector. The colored balls suspended in the tube were dancing.

  "There is another Uni-Ship in the air," announced Crado. "It is coming close. As none other of our ships are out, except that of Doc Savage, it must be one of Zoro's."

  AHEAD glowed a spreading purple light. This was the single column of the solar system in the Land of Beyond. This operated from separate and much smaller magnetized deposits. If he smashed the system of King Lumos, Zoro would have to depend upon this alone until he had carried out his threat to take over the Kingdom of Subterranae.

  Close by, the long, luminous cylinder of a Uni-Ship appeared. It was driving directly toward Crado's craft. For several seconds it appeared as if a collision could not be avoided. Crado's white face was a grim mask.

  "Zoro!" he rapped out. "Put on these gravity belts! We may be wrecked!"

  But the Zoro Uni-Ship flashed past. Within it could be seen the silhouetted figures of many Zoromen. Undoubtedly the chief of the Land of Beyond had caught Doc's call to the palace.

  "Get ready to spring out!" warned Crado. "I'm dropping! See!"

  Renny, Ham and Johnny could see. They were struggling into the gravity belts. Their attempt to escape was too late. Several small balloons appeared. Crado's Uni-Ship was descending with the speed of a flung rock. But the descent was not rapid enough.

  The first balloon dissolved into a spreading mushroom of grayish smoke. This could be seen the fraction of a second before the hurricane of the explosion struck the Uni-Ship. Zoro's own craft already was miles away.

  Crado's Uni-Ship quivered and jumped as if it had been struck by a mammoth hammer. The blow rattled the teeth of Renny and the others. Johnny's long, bony form turned a complete somersault. Ham was flung sidewise. His waspish body hit the vibration detector. The lawyer went down among fragments of sprinkling glass.

  The first blast was almost instantly followed by a second. Crado and his men were working feverishly at the controls. The Uni-Ship did not respond. It plunged groundward. The gravitational machinery had been shattered.

  The dive of the Uni-Ship to the ground was short. Crado's quick dropping of the craft saved the crew and passengers from suffering the fate of the first King Lumos men to meet the exploding balloons. But the shock of contact was severe.

  Everyone in the Uni-Ship was stunned. They were only vaguely conscious of their hatchways being opened and of Zoromen pouring into the ship. There came a swift sounding of the weird music of the flutes.

  HAM believed he was the first to recover his senses. But a voice bellowing protest had aroused him to consciousness.

  "Holy cow!" Renny was thundering. "They've got us in them danged iron shirts again!"

  Ham moved his hands a little. Immediately he was nearly choked. The elongated figure of Johnny was near him. Renny was complaining and gasping between outbursts. The giant engineer was fighting the imprisoning shirt. All he succeeded in doing was half throttling himself.

  Ham saw Crado and the men of his crew. The supply of metallic shirts seemed unlimited. All were securely trussed up. Zoromen came about them in a swarm. Ham felt himself lifted. With the others they were being borne into a gaping entrance of what appeared to be the side of a precipitous hill. The Zoromen carried them easily. They accomplished this by operating the belt knobs governing gravity.

  The faint purple light of Subterranae's solar system vanished. It was replaced by a weird illumination. This came from a myriad of crystalline icicles. Or they looked to Ham as if they were frozen drippings from the vaulted roof of a tunnel.

  These were stalactites. Johnny's geological interest was alive even now.

  "They're chalcedony," he gasped. "Some have a mixture of carbonite. If we ever get out of here, I'm going to write a book."

  His chance of preparing a thesis on the inner earth was remote. The glittering stalactites were blinding, though the light did not seem to glare. When the prisoners were deposited on a glassy floor, Ham could only peer about through slitted eyes.

  The air around them was charged with electrical energy. Ham was rolled close to Renny and Johnny. Two metallic shirts touched. Immediately blue sparks flashed. Ham's skin prickled. His spinal column reacted as if it had been struck a blow.

  This was one of the magnetic chambers. Coils of metal indicated this mineral deposit, extending for hundreds of yards into the hollowed caverns, was one of the hook-ups with the kingdom's major solar system. Ham scrooched away from further direct contact with his companions. He judged he had missed being electrocuted by only a scant margin.

  For a moment Doc's companions judged they were the only prisoners, along with Crado and his men. But the squeak of an enraged voice enlightened them of another presence. None could mistake the complaining voice of Monk.

  "Dag-gonit!" he squealed. "Just when I was thinkin' that danged shyster would be comin' along with one of his pig-stickers to maybe punch holes in these heathen, here he is all trussed up like a pig for market!"

  "Well, as I live and breathe," exclaimed Ham. "If it isn't the gorilla himself. Perhaps the princess couldn't be resisted."

  Monk squawked incoherently. Ham had hit upon the truth.

  "Unless something happens fast, we're in a mighty tough spot," spoke the low voice of Johnny. "Look what they're doing."

  JOHNNY'S instant recognition of a tough spot was apparent. The Zoromen had dumped their prisoners to one side. Now they were engaged in carrying many small square cases into the tunnel. Ham did not need to read the labels to identify these as trinitromite.

  Scores of cases of the outer world's latest and most terrible explosive were being laid in hollowed trenches. These formed a square around the solar system machinery. They enclosed one end of the big bed of magnetized mineral. This deposit had the appearance of a stratum of obsidian rock. But it was shot through with brownish veins that might have been either a form of iron ore or of greenish gold.

  "Dag-gonit!" piped Monk. "Whatcha think's goin' to happen?"

  "Holy cow!" barked Renny. "I'm tryin' not to think!"

  The slanting forehead, jutting brows and prognathous jaws of Zoro himself loomed over them.

  "It will not be necessary to ponder deeply upon what you are witnessing," Zoro announced. "Your wonderful Doc Savage and the one who knew of the devices of electricity can no longer aid you. Zoro has command of the Kingdom of Subterranae. When the explosive force from your world has been turned loose, there will be no further need of thinking."

  By this time several hundred cases of trinitromite had been placed only a few yards away.

 

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