te I have in consciousness
let me suggest that before you do any more de-astralizing you _locate my
body_. Until then, if I am released from this one I am a dead man."

The words struck the group dumb. Where _was_ Handlon's body? Could the
Professor produce it?

That worthy looked rather haunted at that moment, and they began to see
the fear of death coming upon him.

"Mercy, mercy!" he begged as the four men started to advance upon him.
"As soon as I had de-astralized Handlon I destroyed his body in my
pickling barrel down cellar. But there is another way...." He paused,
uncertain as to how his next words would be received. "Go out and get
the Manion girl. She can be de-astralized and friend Handlon can have
her body."

* * * * *

At this suggestion, advanced so naively, the four men recoiled in
horror. It was entirely too much even for Hard Boiled Bland, and he
could hardly restrain himself from applying the editorial fist to the
leering face before him. Undoubtedly Professor Kell was hopelessly
insane, and for that reason he held himself in leash.

"Kell, you are slated to pull off one more stunt," Jimmie addressed the
cringing heap. "You know what it is. Get busy. And just remember that I
am standing over here"--he indicated a corner well separated from the
rest--"with this cannon aimed in your direction. If things aren't just
according to Hoyle, you get plugged. Get me?"

"What about it, men?" Bland spoke up. "Is it going to be treating
Handlon right to de-astralize him now? It will be his last chance to
have a body on this earth."

"Unfortunately that body never belonged to Handlon," said O'Hara. "Hence
I fail to see why Perry should be discommoded for the balance of his
life with a companion astral. Perry is clearly entitled to his own body,
free and unhampered. Friend Skip is out of luck, unless--Well, I don't
mind telling you, Kell, that you just gave me an idea. Snap into it
now!"

The Professor dragged himself to his feet and under the menace of the
automatic fumbled under the table until he had located the intricate
apparatus before mentioned.

"Now if Mr. Perry--or Handlon--will kindly recline at full length on
this table," he said with an obscene leer, "the experiment will begin."

"Just remember, Kell, this is no experiment," advised Bland, fixing the
Professor with an ugly eye. "You do as you're told."

The other made no reply, but threw a hidden switch. Perr