erhead. The other is that we had the big
magazines for this gun. We still have nearly ninety shells, besides
the ones for the pistols."

Evelyn said soberly:

"We're going to be killed, don't you think, Tommy?"

Tommy frowned.

"I'm rather afraid we are," he said irritably. "Confound it, and I'd
thought of such excellent arguments to use in the City back yonder!
Smithers said the Death Mist was two miles across, to-day, and still
growing. The people in the city are still pouring the stuff down
through Jacaro's Tube."

Evelyn smiled faintly. She touched his hand.

"Trying to keep me from worrying? Tommy...." She hesitated until he
growled a question. "Please--remember that when Daddy and I were in
the jungle before, we saw what these Ragged Men do to prisoners they
take. I just want you to promise that--well, you won't wait too long,
in hopes of somehow saving me."

Tommy stared at her. Then he decisively reached forward and put his
hand over her mouth.

"Keep quiet," he said gently. "They shan't capture you. I promise
that. Now keep quiet."

* * * * *

There was only silence for a long time. Now and again a hidden figure
screamed in rage at them. Now and again some flapping thing sped
toward the jungle's edge. Once a naked arm thrust one of the golden
truncheons from behind its cover, pointing at a flying thing a few
yards overhead. The flying thing suddenly toppled, turning over and
over before it crashed to the ground. There were howls of glee.

"They seem mad," said Tommy meditatively, "and they act like lunatics,
but I've got a hunch of some sort about them. But what?"

Sunlight gleamed on something golden beyond the jungle's edge. Naked
figures went running to the spot. An exultant tumult arose.

"Now they try another trick," Tommy observed dispassionately. "I
remember that at the Tube they had pushed something on wheels...."

The sub-machine gun was unhandy for accurate single shots, and no
pistol can be used to effect at long ranges. To conserve ammunition,
Tommy had been shooting only at relatively close targets, allowing the
Ragged Men immunity at over two hundred yards. But now he flung over
the continuous-fire stud. He watched grimly.

The foliage at the edge of the jungle parted. A crude wagon appeared.
Its axles were lesser tree-trunks. Its wheels were clumsy and crude
beyond belief. But mounted upon it there was a queer mass of golden
metal which looked st