?"

The two boys gave Zircon and Scotty a quick account of their
reconnaissance, and both chuckled at Chahda's trick of feeding the dog.

"He'll probably be standing on the beach waiting when you get back,"
Scotty said with a grin. "Bet it's the first hamburger the pooch ever
had. That pirate you belted with the pistol bothers me, though. Won't he
set off an alarm that will put the whole mob on the alert?"

"I hope not. There's a chance he might think it was someone in the
village who has a grudge against him."

Zircon shrugged. "One way or another, there's nothing we can do about it
now. We'll have to assume the whole place is alerted."

"How about some sleep?" Scotty suggested.

Rick shook his head. The first part of his plan had to be put into
operation immediately. "It's only a little while to dawn. By sunrise we
have to be east of the island."

He explained quickly. For a safe, undetected look at the areas of the
island he wanted to see, they would have to depend on the sun for a
shield. They could proceed immediately on a roundabout course that would
bring them to the east of the island just as the sun was rising. Hidden
in the sun's glare, they would have a few minutes in which to examine
the eastern slope of the volcano.

"I'm beginning to see your plan," Zircon said. "Then what?"

"Then we go into safe waters for the day. At sunset we hide in the sun
again, while we look at the island from the west. We'll wait until the
sun is low enough, so no one on the island will be looking into it, then
we'll use it for a shield and take a good look at Shannon's cliff
dwelling through the long glass."

Scotty shook his head. "But we already know what's on the eastern and
western shores. Why go to all this trouble?"

"We don't know much about the terrain. If it looks possible, you and I
go climbing tonight. We land on the eastern shore, climb the volcano, go
over the top and down the western side until we come out right above the
shelf where the scientists are held prisoner. Then we haul them up on a
rope."

Scotty stared at his pal. "Wow! We take them out by the back door, huh?"

Zircon held up his hand. "Not so fast. The plan is a good one, Rick. I
won't mention my natural dislike of being dismissed from the scheme
without being consulted, because you and Scotty are the logical ones to
go for a reconnaissance of this kind. But I'll buy only this: You and
Scotty will look over the terrain tonight. If possibl