ut to see me from Atlantis. With the
aid of a Drilgo interpreter, they conveyed to me that they had been
greatly impressed by the disappearance of the Atom Smasher. They have
nothing like it, of course, and they think I'm a Number One magician.

"The upshot is, they want me to accept the supreme rule of the city,
and use my arts to restore the lost territory that has sunk beneath
the waves. They swore on an image of their god, Cruk, that they were
sincere. I told them that I'd sent the Atom Smasher away on a journey,
but that it would be back shortly, and that I'd then give them their
answer.

"Now, Dent"--Tode's face took on that look of fanaticism that Jim had
seen on it before--"I'm going to repeat the proposition I made to you
before. Join me. I'll make you my chief subordinate, and I'll load you
and Parrish down with honors. Everything that a human being can desire
shall be yours. And in a year or two, when we're tired of being gods,
we'll take the Atom Smasher back to Earth and destroy it, and with our
wealth we'll become the supreme rulers of Earth too. I need you, Dent.
You don't realize how lonely life can be when one is worshiped as a
god. As for Lucille, there are a thousand maidens more beautiful than
she is, in Atlantis. Come, Dent, your answer! Your last chance, Dent!
Don't throw it away!"

He read the answer before Jim could speak it. Jim saw Tode's face
flicker, and hurled himself upon him. Lucille screamed. The two men
wrestled together in the narrow confines of the circular boat. Jim
struck Tode a blow that sent him reeling against the rail. Then he
felt himself seized from behind. A giant Drilgo had him in his arms.
He lifted him over the side and flung him to the earth. In an instant
the chattering Drilgoes were crowding down upon him.

Struggling madly, Jim saw Tode fell old Parrish with a blow, push back
Lucille as she sprang at him, and quickly press the starting lever.
The column of violet fire faded, there came the whir of the
mechanism--the Atom Smasher vanished....

CHAPTER IX

_The Blinded Eye_

Jim fought with all his strength; he managed to shake off his
assailants and regain his feet. Then one of the Drilgoes poised his
stone-tipped spear, ready to hurl it through his body.

But the spear never left the Drilgo's hand in Jim's direction. Like a
great black ape, Cain leaped upon the fellow and bore him to the
ground, his feet twined around his shoulders, his hands gripping his
t