agerness to reach the
jetty. Engineer Serko can hardly keep up with him.

The crew of the tug are unloading her, and they have just brought
ashore ten medium-sized boxes. These boxes bear a peculiar red mark,
which Thomas Roch examines closely.

Engineer Serko orders the men to transport them to the storehouses on
the left bank, and the boxes are forthwith loaded on a boat and rowed
over.

In my opinion, these boxes contain the substances by the combination
or mixture of which, the fulgurator and deflagrator are to be made.
The engines, doubtless, are being made in an American foundry, and
when they are ready, the schooner will fetch them and bring them to
Back Cup.

For once in a while, anyhow, the _Ebba_ has not returned with any
stolen merchandise. She went out and has returned with a clear bill.
But with what terrible power Ker Karraje will be armed for both
offensive and defensive operations at sea! If Thomas Roch is to be
credited, this fulgurator could shatter the terrestrial spheroid at
one blow. And who knows but what one day, he will try the experiment?

CHAPTER XII.

ENGINEER SERKO'S ADVICE.

Thomas Roch has started work and spends hours and hours in a wooden
shed on the left bank of the lagoon that has been set apart as his
laboratory and workshop. No one enters it except himself. Does he
insist upon preparing the explosive in secret and does he intend to
keep the formula thereof to himself? I should not wonder.

The manner of employing Roch's fulgurator is, I believe, very simple
indeed. The projectile in which it is used requires neither gun nor
mortar to launch it, nor pneumatic tube like the Zalinski shell. It is
autopropulsive, it projects itself, and no ship within a certain zone
when the engine explodes could escape utter destruction. With such a
weapon as this at his command Ker Karraje would be invincible.

_From August 11 to August 17_.--During the past week Thomas Roch has
been working without intermission. Every morning the inventor goes to
his laboratory and does not issue therefrom till night. I have made no
attempt to stop him or speak to him, knowing that it would be useless
to do so.

Although he is still indifferent to everything that does not touch
upon his work he appears to be perfectly self-possessed. Why should he
not have recovered his reason? Has he not obtained what he has so long
sought for? Is he not at last able to carry out the plans he formed
years and yea