than the doctor's could have detected it. Assured
after a few minutes of listening that some kind of a craft was coming
up the river, the doctor sank back into his hiding place, an automatic
pistol firmly grasped in his long tapering fingers.

The purr came nearer, but it was not appreciably louder. The gurgle of
water past the prow of the boat could be heard and Dr. Bird could see
a long ribbon of white on the water where the craft was passing. He
stepped from his cover and leaned forward, straining his eyes to see
the boat. It passed beyond him and continued up the river. He stepped
quickly along the river bank, trying to keep it in sight. Suddenly he
paused. The boat had turned and was coming back. Hurriedly he
returned to his hiding place.

The boat came down the river until it was opposite the point where he
crouched, and then it turned and came in toward the shore. Dr. Bird
gripped his pistol and waited. When the craft was less than twenty
feet from shore it stopped and a guttural voice spoke. Dr. Bird
started. He had expected the language to be Russian, but it came as a
shock to him, nevertheless. He strained his ears and cursed his
inability to make out the words. Dr. Bird had been assiduously
studying Russian under the tutelage of his new secretary for some
months, but he had not yet progressed to the stage where he could
readily understand it. The gift of languages was one which the erudite
doctor did not possess.

* * * * *

The boat lay motionless for several minutes. Nervously the doctor
glanced at his wrist watch. He barely stifled a cry of amazement. From
the face of the luminous dial, long streamers of faintly
phosphorescent light were streaming. He whirled to meet an attack from
the rear but he was too late. Even as he turned the muzzle of a pistol
pressed into his back and a voice spoke behind him.

"Drop that pistol, Doctor, or I'll be under the unpleasant necessity
of making a hole in you."

Reluctantly, Dr. Bird dropped his pistol and the voice went on.

"Really, I hardly expected to catch you by surprise, Doctor. I thought
you were clever enough to realize that our boat would be equipped with
an ultra-violet searchlight. However, even the best minds must rest
sometimes, and yours is due for a nice long rest. In fact, I might
almost prophesy that it will be a permanent rest."

Dr. Bird shivered despite himself at the cold mercilessness of the
railing voice be