oducing the queasy symptoms of motion sickness. Then
the earth steadied again, leaving only a mild temblor that soon
vanished.

The group looked at each other, white-faced. The earthquake had been by
far the worst yet. There was even some doubt that the hotel was still
safe. Rick, seeing the manager busy counting noses to make sure all his
employees were out, gasped, "Connel!"

Hartson Brant ran for the tool closet, the others behind him. The
scientist reached for the key, ready to let Connel out.

The wall was tilted crazily. The door had sprung wide open.

Connel was gone!

CHAPTER XII

The Rising Magma

The Spindrift group held a council of war in their office-conference
room. Inspection of the hotel had shown that damage was not as serious
as first expected. The cornices, held only by mortar, had fallen, and
the rear exterior wall had lost its brick veneer. The structural part of
the wall, while cracked, was strong enough to hold up. The veneer was
unsafe, however, and it was agreed that all should stay well away from
the area where Connel had been imprisoned.

"We must begin another series of shots at once," Hartson Brant said.
"It's apparent that the magma has moved, and rapidly. But until we get
more tracings, we won't know in what direction. Meanwhile, we _must_
find the governor!"

"How?" Rick asked. "How can we find him?"

Hartson Brant smiled at his son. "It seems to me that you and Scotty
have acquired considerable reputations as detectives, Rick. I suggest
you earn them. Find the governor for us. We will give you Honorario as
an interpreter, but it will be up to you. The rest of us must operate as
best we can short-handed."

"How about Connel?" Scotty demanded.

The scientist shrugged. "He's the least of my worries. Let him develop
his diamond mine. My concern is with this island and the people on it.
If our guess is right, Connel will be lucky to have a few days in which
to work--scarcely enough to do much mining."

"Any ideas?" Rick asked.

"Yes. Talk to the governor's family, and to his personal staff. Stay
away from Guevara. Once Connel tells him we know about the diamonds, he
may become dangerous. Do what you can, boys. After all, this isn't a big
island and the governor must be somewhere on it."

"If he's alive," Scotty added.

Hartson Brant looked at the boy and his face grew grim. "Yes," he
agreed. "If he's alive."

Rick and Scotty had always relished the adventure and