skyward. It began on the lawn of a house with wide porches.
There was a two-car garage with one wide door open.

"A radio ham," said Lockley. "I wonder--"

But he looked first in the garage. There was a car. It looked all
right. He climbed in and opened the door. The dome light came on. The
key was still in the ignition. He turned it and the gauge showed that
the gas tank was three-quarters full. This was unbelievable good
fortune.

"They probably intended to use this and then changed their minds,"
said Lockley. "I'll get the door open and attempt a little burglary.
Just one burglary with a prayer that he used a storage battery for
his power!"

Breaking in was simple. He tried the windows opening on the main wide
porch. One window slid up. He went inside, Jill following.

The ham radio outfit was in the cellar. Like most radio hams, this one
had battery-powered equipment as a matter of public responsibility. In
case of storm or disaster when power lines are down, the ham operators
of the United States can function as emergency communication systems,
working without outside power. This operator was equipped as
membership in the organization required.

Lockley warmed up the tubes. He tuned to a general call frequency. He
began to say, "May Day! May Day! May Day!" in a level voice. This
emergency call has precedence over all other calls but S.O.S., which
has an identical meaning. But "May Day" is more distinct and
unmistakable when heard faintly.

There were answers within minutes. Lockley snapped for them to stay
tuned while he called for others. He had half a dozen hams waiting
curiously when he began to broadcast what he wanted the world to know.

He told it as briefly and as convincingly as he could. Then he said,
"Over" and threw the reception switch for questions.

There were no questions. His broadcast had been jammed. Some other
station or stations were transmitting pure static with deafening
volume, evidently from somewhere nearby. Lockley could not tell when
it had begun. It could have been from the instant he began to speak.
It was very likely that not one really useful word had been heard
anywhere.

But a direction finder could have betrayed his position.

CHAPTER 8

It was a ticklish job getting the car out of the garage and into the
street. Lockley was afraid that starting the motor would make a noise
which in the silence of the town's absolute abandonment could be heard
for a long wa