an and Harrison,
but they knew more about the details. We were only helping them."

"Then we must try to capture them," decided Tom. "Ned, see if the chase
had any results. I'll look after these chaps--Koku and I."

"Oh, we give in," admitted Kurdy. "We know when we've had enough," and
he rubbed his head gently where the giant had banged it against that of
his fellow-conspirator.

"Do you mean that you four came into this shop, at midnight, to damage
the Mars?" asked Tom.

"That's about it, Mr. Swift," replied Kurdy rather shamefacedly. "We
were to damage it beyond repair, set fire to the whole place, if need
be, and, at the same time, take away certain vital parts.

"Harrison, Feldman, Ransom and I came in, thinking the coast was clear.
But Koku must have seen us enter, or he suspected we were here, for he
came in after us, and the fight began. We couldn't stop him, and he did
for us. I'm rather glad of it, too, for I never liked the work. It was
only that they tempted me with a promise of big money."

"Who tempted you?" demanded Tom.

"That Frenchman--La Foy, he calls himself, and some other foreigners in
your shops."

"Are there foreigners here?" cried Tom.

"Bless my chest protector!" cried Mr. Damon, who had come in and had
been a silent listener to this. "Can it be possible?"

"That's the case," went on Kurdy. "A lot of the new men you took on are
foreign spies from different European nations. They are trying to learn
all they can about your plans, Mr. Swift!"

"Are they friendly among themselves?" asked Tom.

"No; each one is trying to get ahead of the other. So far the Frenchman
seems to have had the best of it. But to-night his plan failed."

"Tell me more about it," urged Tom.

"That's about all we know," spoke Ransom. "We were only hired to do the
rough work. Those higher up didn't appear. Feldman was only a step
above us."

"Then my suspicions of him were justified," thought Tom. "He evidently
met La Foy in the woods to make plans. But Koku and Eradicate spoiled
them."

The two captives seemed willing enough to make a confession, but they
did not know much. As they said, they were merely tools, acting for
others. And events had happened just as they had said.

The four conspirators had managed, by means of a false key, and by
disconnecting the burglar alarm, to enter the airship shed. They were
about to proceed with their work of destruction when Koku came on the
scene.

The giant's