smash in the globe and--"

"I know," said Eyer. "Its inhabitants, including us, will start off in
all directions through the stratosphere, with great speed, and probably
in many pieces."

Jeter laughed. Eyer laughed with him. They didn't fear death, for now
they felt they were on the verge of destroying this monster of space.

Their pursuers were following them closely.

Jeter frantically tried to unfasten the handcuffs as they ran. He didn't
manage it until the door was almost reached. He left one cuff dangling
on his right wrist.

Then, they were through the door.

"Now, Tema," shouted Jeter, "if you believe in God--if you have
faith--pray for strength to move this plane!"

"Where?"

"So that its wheels and nose go through this open door! Then it won't
travel forward when we start the motor--and our pursuers won't be able
to get through to stop us."

"You think of everything, don't you?" There was a grin on Eyer's face.
But his eyes were stern. He wasn't belittling their deadly danger. And
there was also a chance that Jeter's vibration idea was wrong.

"Those four planes," panted Jeter, as the two tried to get their plane
in motion toward the door, "cause, from a distance, through thin air, a
slight vibration, varying with their distance from the globe; our plane
motor racing and actually in contact with the globe, can set up a
tremendous vibration by its great motor speed. If we can vibrate the
globe up to its shattering point there's a chance!"

"We can't pull her, Lucian," said Eyer. "I'll do a Horatius at the door.
You get in, start the motor, taxi her until the wheels go through. I'll
keep the crowd back."

"Right!"

Jeter went through the doors into the plane. In a few seconds the
propeller kicked over, hesitated, kicked again. Then the motor coughed,
coughed again, and broke into a steady roaring.

CHAPTER XII

_High Chaos_

The plane moved forward. Its tail swung around. Its wheels headed for
the door. They dropped through, into the faces of the foremost pursuers,
all of whom were thus effectually blocked off.

The plane was held as in a vise. The propeller vanished in a blur as
Jeter let the motor out. It was humming an even, steady note. The doors
came open again.

Jeter came out, his eyes glowing.

"We haven't the chance of the proverbial celluloid dog chasing the
asbestos cat," he shouted to be heard above the roar of the motor. "But
grab your high altitude suit, oxygen co