at enough to throw the Earth out
of its orbit!"

"Uranium!... Breaking up its components!" gasped Jim. "You mean you
can actually do that?"

"Yes!" chuckled Parrish. "I'm keeping it for the day when Tode becomes
a god. When he's steadied the boat in time-space and halted the march
of the past, and when he's got Lucille--then, Dent, I shall so pull
the lever that it will release the energy straight at Tode--and
destroy the Atom-Smasher, ourselves, and even, perhaps, the whole
Earth!"

And he burst into a peal of such wild laughter that Jim realized the
old man's wits were gone.

* * * * *

Was it true, that amazing story? It was difficult to know, and yet
anything seemed possible in this amazing world into which Jim had
suddenly been thrown.

The vast pall of smoke cast out by the volcano was beginning to
subside. Slowly a spectral light began to filter through the valley.
Through the fog Jim could see glimpses of the ferny undergrowth, the
giant tree-ferns and cycads that towered aloft. It was like a picture
of the earth when the mastodons, the grass-eaters and the meat-eaters
disputed for its supremacy.

Jim bent over Lucille. He saw her stir, he heard her murmur his name.
Suddenly she sat up, fixed her eyes on his, and shuddered.

"I'm all right, Jim. Let's go," she said. "I can walk now."

She staggered to her feet. Jim put out his hand to support her, but
she shook her head. Jim touched old Parrish on the arm. He started and
uttered a wild screech; then seemed to come to himself and rose.

But that screech of his was re-echoed from the mountainside above.
Other voices took up the echoes. Lucille clutched at Jim in a frenzy
of fear.

"The Drilgoes!" she whispered. "They're on our trail!"

Seizing old Parrish by the arm, Jim started to drag him into the
recesses of the fern forest. Suddenly the bestial face of a Drilgo
appeared.

A yell broke from the man's throat. The hairy arm shot back. Jim saw
the stone tip of the long spear poised overhead. He leaped forward,
delivering a blow in the man's midriff with all the strength of his
right arm.

* * * * *

The Drilgo grunted and doubled forward, the spear falling from his
hand. The heavy head of stone embedded itself in the soft ground, so
that the spear remained upright. As the man collapsed he yelled at the
top of his voice.

"This way! This way!" gibbered old Parrish, suddenly alert.