, and holding out his wrist
displayed the traveling machine and explained, as well as he could, the
forces that operated it.

The Frenchman, as you may suppose, was greatly astonished, and to show
how perfectly the machine worked Rob turned the indicator and rose a
short distance above the tower, circling around it before he rejoined
the professor on the roof. Then he showed his food tablets, explaining
how each was stored with sufficient nourishment for an entire day.

The scientist positively gasped for breath, so powerful was the
excitement he experienced at witnessing these marvels.

"Eet is wonderful--grand--magnifique!" he exclaimed.

"But here is something of still greater interest," continued Rob, and
taking the Automatic Record of Events from his pocket he allowed the
professor to view the remarkable scenes that were being enacted
throughout the civilized world.

The Frenchman was now trembling violently, and he implored Rob to tell
him where he might obtain similar electrical machines.

"I can't do that," replied the boy, decidedly; "but, having seen these,
you may be able to discover their construction for yourself. Now that
you know such things to be possible and practical, the hint should be
sufficient to enable a shrewd electrician to prepare duplicates of
them."

The scientist glared at him with evident disappointment, and Rob
continued:

"These are not all the wonders I can exhibit. Here is another
electrical device that is, perhaps, the most remarkable of any I
possess."

He took the Character Marking spectacles from his pocket and fitted
them to his eyes. Then he gave a whistle of surprise and turned his
back upon his new friend. He had seen upon the Frenchman's forehead
the letters "E" and "C."

"Guess I've struck the wrong sort of scientist, after all!" he
muttered, in a disgusted tone.

His companion was quick to prove the accuracy of the Character Marker.
Seeing the boy's back turned, he seized a long iron bar that was used
to operate the telescope, and struck at Rob so fiercely that had he not
worn the Garment of Protection his skull would have been crushed by the
blow. At it was, the bar rebounded with a force that sent the
murderous Frenchman sprawling upon the roof, and Rob turned around and
laughed at him.

"It won't work, Professor," he said. "I'm proof against assassins.
Perhaps you had an idea that when you had killed me you could rob me of
my valuable possessions; b