e a signal.

"There he is now," said Perkins, as he took out his wireless
instrument. "You might listen in and hear what he has to say."

Brookings took out his own telephone and held it to his ear.

"Hello," Perkins spoke gruffly into the tiny transmitter. "What've you
got on your chest?"

"Your foot slipped on the Jap," the stranger replied. "He crabbed the
game right. Slats and the big fellow put all the stuff into the box,
told us to watch it until they get back tonight--they may be late--then
went off in Slats' ship to test something--couldn't find out what. Silk
tackled the yellow boy, and went up to fifty grand, but the Jap couldn't
see him at all. Silk started to argue, and the Jap didn't do a thing but
lay him out, cold. This afternoon, while the Jap was out in the grounds,
three stick-up men jumped him. He bumped one of them off with his hands
and the others with his gat--one of those big automatics that throw a
slug like a cannon. None of us knew he had it. That's all, except that I
am quitting Prescott right now. Anything else I can do for you, whoever
you are?"

"No. Your job's done."

The conversation closed. Perkins pressed the switch which reduced the
interior of the spy's wireless instrument to a fused mass of metal, and
Brookings called DuQuesne on the telephone.

"I would like to talk to you," he said. "Shall I come there or would you
rather come to my office?"

"I'll come there. They're watching this house. They have one man in
front and one in back, a couple of detectaphones in my rooms here, and
have coupled onto this telephone.

"Don't worry," he continued calmly as the other made an exclamation of
dismay. "Talk ahead as loud as you please--they can't hear you. Do you
think that those poor, ignorant flat feet can show me anything about
electricity? I'd shoot a jolt along their wires that would burn their
ears off if it weren't my cue to act the innocent and absorbed
scientist. As it is, their instruments are all registering dense
silence. I am deep in study right now, and can't be disturbed!"

"Can you get out?"

"Certainly. I have that same private entrance down beside the house wall
and the same tunnel I used before. I'll see you in about fifteen
minutes."

* * * * *

In Brookings' office, DuQuesne told of the constant surveillance over
him.

"They suspect me on general principles, I think," he continued. "They
are apparently trying to connect me