ising sixty-five
millions of human beings and five millions of armed men accountable for
the actions of a single individual. He spoke passionately, eloquently,
persuasively, and at the conclusion of his speech the ambassadors
present were forced to acknowledge that what he said was true, and to
accept without reservation his plausible assurances that the Imperial
German Commissioners had no thought but to cooperate with the other
governments in bringing about a lasting peace such as Pax demanded.

But the immediate question was, had not the time for this gone by? Was
it not too late to convince the master of the Flying Ring that his
orders would be obeyed? Could anything be done to avert the calamity he
threatened to bring upon the earth--to prevent the conversion of Europe
into a barren waste of ice fields? For Pax had announced that he had
spoken for the last time and that the fate of Europe was sealed. All the
ambassadors agreed that a general European immigration was practically
impossible; and as a last resort it was finally decided to transmit to
Pax, through the Georgetown station, a wireless message signed by all
the ambassadors of the belligerent nations, solemnly agreeing within one
week to disband their armies and to destroy all their munitions and
implements of war. This message was delivered to Hood, with instructions
for its immediate delivery. All that afternoon and evening the operator
sat in the observatory, calling over and over again the three letters
that marked mankind's only communication with the controller of its
destiny:

"PAX--PAX--PAX!"

But no answer came. For long, weary hours Hood waited, his ears glued to
the receivers. An impenetrable silence surrounded the master of the
Ring. Pax had spoken. He would say no more. Late that night Hood
reluctantly returned to the White House and informed the President that
he was unable to deliver the message of the nations.

And meantime Prof. Bennie Hooker, with Marc and Edouard, struggled
across the wilderness of Labrador, following the Iron Rail that led to
the hiding-place of the master of the world.

* * * * *

The terrible fate of the German expeditionary force is too well known to
require comment. As has been already told, the _Sea Fox_ had sailed from
Amsterdam twelve days after the conference in the War Office at Mainz
between General von Helmuth and Professor von Schwenitz. Once north of
the Orkneys it