licious, piquant tang.

Ray was deeply thoughtful as he ate. Suddenly he sat back and cried
out:

"I've got it!"

"Got what?" I demanded.

"I want that rifle! Mildred can find out where it is. Then, when she
sings, the crabs will all come. I'll get the gun, while she is
singing, and hide it. Then when it comes time to get out, she will
sing while you and I are getting our packs up the cliff. I can cover
them with the rifle while she gets up to us."

"Looks good enough," I agreed, "provided they all come to hear the
singing."

* * * * *

He explained the plan at greater length to the girl. She assured him
that the crabs all come when the bell-notes sound. She thought that
she could make them return her furs, and find out where they had put
the gun.

My feet were much better than they had been, and Mildred dressed them
again with the yellow oil. Ray examined them, said that I should be
able to walk as well as ever in a few days.

Considerable time went by. Since the crabs had taken our watches, we
had no very accurate way of counting days; but I think we slept about
a dozen times. Ray and Mildred spent a good deal of time together, and
seemed not altogether to hate each other. By the end of the time my
feet were quite well; I did not even lose a toe.

We went over our plans for escape in great detail. The crabs had
confiscated our clothing. Mildred managed to secure the return of her
furs, and, incidentally, while she was about it, learned where the
rifle was.

Fortunately, perhaps realizing that it would be ruined by water, the
crabs had not taken it to their submerged city. Being amphibious, they
lived above water as easily as below, and much of their industrial
equipment was above the surface. The great pumps which lifted the
white phosphorescent liquid from the canals back to the cone above the
ground were located beyond the great lake. I did not see the place,
but Ray tells me that they had great engines and a wealth of strange
and complex machinery there. It was at these pumps that they had left
our rifle and instruments, as Mildred found when she was recovering
her furs.

They had taken our food, and we prepared as much more as we could
carry, arranged sacks for it, and made quilted garments for ourselves.

* * * * *

Then the three brazen notes clanged out, and Mildred ran across the
beach and swam out to the blue cylinder to sing. R