ut all there is to tell. I am now about to reverse the process and
try to remove the stolen brains from the criminals and restore them to
their rightful owners. I have never operated and the result may be
fatal. Shall I proceed?"

The President and Admiral Clay consulted for a moment in undertones.

"Go on with your experiments, Dr. Bird," said the President, "and we
will hold you blameless for a failure. You have worked so many
miracles in the past that we have every confidence in you."

Dr. Bird bowed acknowledgment to the compliment and bent over the
unconscious dwarf. With Willis directing every move, he inserted the
needle and drew back slowly on the plunger. Twenty-three and one-half
cubic centimeters of amber fluid flowed into the syringe before a
speck of blood appeared.

"Enough!" cried Willis. Dr. Bird withdrew the syringe and motioned to
Admiral Clay. The man the Admiral had brought in was placed in the
chair and lethane administered. He was laid on the table, and, with a
silent prayer, Dr. Bird inserted the needle and pressed the plunger.
When five and one-quarter centimeters had flowed into the man's
brains, he withdrew the needle and held the bottle which Carnes had
used to revive him under the man's nose. The patient coughed a moment
and sat up.

"Where am I?" he demanded. His gaze roved the cave and fell on the
President. "Hello, Robert," he exclaimed. "What has happened?"

With a cry of joy the President sprang forward and wrung the hand of
the man.

"Are you all right, William?" he asked anxiously. "Do you feel
perfectly normal?"

"Of course I do. My neck feels a little stiff. What are you talking
about? Why shouldn't I feel normal? How did I get here?"

"Take him outside, Admiral, and explain to him," said the President.

Admiral Clay led the puzzled man outside and the President turned to
Dr. Bird.

"Doctor," he said, "I need not tell you that I again add my personal
gratitude to the gratitude of a nation which would be yours, could the
miracles you work be told off. If there is ever any way that can serve
you, either personally or officially, do not hesitate to ask. The
other victims will be brought here to-day. Will you be able to restore
them?"

"I will, Mr. President. From Slavatsky's records I find that I will
have enough if I reduce all of his men to a state of imbecility except
Willis. In view of his assistance, I propose to leave him with enough
menthium to give him the intell