guage I didn't understand at all that went up
and down the scale like atonal music.

"Sounds like Chinese," Pop whispered, giving me a nudge.

"It _is_ Chinese. Mandarin," the screen responded instantly in the
purest English--at least that was how I'd describe it. Practically
Boston. "Who are you? And where is Grayl? Come in, Grayl."

I knew well enough who Grayl must be--or rather, have been. I looked at
Pop and Alice. Pop grinned, maybe a mite feebly this time, I thought,
and gave me a look as if to say, "_You_ want to handle it?"

I cleared my throat. Then, "We've taken over for Grayl," I said to the
screen.

"Oh." The screen hesitated, just barely. Then, "Do any of 'you' speak
Mandarin?"

I hardly bothered to look at Pop and Alice. "No," I said.

"Oh." Again a tiny pause. "Is Grayl aboard the plane?"

"No." I said.

"Oh. Incapacitated in some way, I suppose?"

"Yes," I said, grateful for the screen's tactfulness, unintentional or
not.

"But you have taken over for him?" the screen pressed.

"Yes," I said, swallowing. I didn't know what I was getting us into,
things were moving too fast, but it seemed the merest sense to act
cooperative.

"I'm very glad of that," the screen said with something in its tone that
made me feel funny--I guess it was sincerity. Then it said, "Is the--"
and hesitated, and started again with "Are the blocks aboard?"

I thought. Alice pointed at the stuff she dumped out of the other seat.
I said. "There's a box with a thousand or so one-inch underweight steel
cubes in it. Like a child's blocks, but with buttons in them. Alongside
a box with a parachute."

"That's what I mean," the screen said and somehow, maybe because whoever
was talking was trying to hide it, I caught a note of great relief.

"Look," the screen said, more rapidly now, "I don't know how much you
know, but we may have to work very fast. You aren't going to be able to
deliver the steel cubes to us directly. In fact you aren't going to be
able to land in Atlantic Highlands at all. We're sieged in by planes and
ground forces of Savannah Fortress. All our aircraft, such as haven't
been destroyed, are pinned down. You're going to have to parachute the
blocks to a point as near as possible to one of our ground parties
that's made a sortie. We'll give you a signal. I hope it will be
later--nearer here, that is--but it may be sooner. Do you know how to
fight the plane you're in? Operate its armament?"

"No," I s