"

"Hans, clip the balloon. Up with you."

In the blurred haste, I could not get them together. I did not want to
kill one and have the other leap upon me.

We fastened the little balloon and dragged the car onto the take-off
platform. The shape of Hans leaped into the car.

"It is here! The ransom money!"

"Lift it to me. Heavy?"

"Yes."

"Gutierrez, help me. Hurry! If Hanley tries any trickery--"

Our aero was drifting downward and southward in the slight wind.
Hanley's Wasp still hovered at the zero-height.

"In, Gutierrez."

* * * * *

Hans and I hauled out the heavy casket and placed it on the wing
runway. De Boer pried up its lid. The gold was there. I could not tell
where Jetta was; I prayed she would keep away from this.

Then the shape of De Boer was missing! But in a moment he appeared,
dragging the sack.

"Lift him, Gutierrez. Hans, unclip the balloon and shove off the car!"

We were all standing at the two-foot rail of the runway. The
car-basket, floating now, was off side and level with us. My chance!

"In with him, Gutierrez."

I shoved the body, encased in its black sack, with Hans helping me.
And suddenly De Boer's knife came down at the sack! A stab. But an
instinct to save the poor wretch within swept me. I struck at De
Boer's arm and deflected the blow. The sack tumbled into the car.

I had neglected whatever chance had existed. Too late now!

"What in the hell!"

De Boer's shape seized me.

"What--"

It sent me into a sudden confusion. I flung him off. I stumbled
against the shape of Hans.

The car was almost loose; drifting away.

Without thought--a frantic impulse--I pushed Hans over the brink. He
fell into the car. It swayed into an oscillation with the impact. The
balloon sank below our wing level and was gone, with only Hans,
muffled shouts floating up.

* * * * *

And De Boer came leaping at me from behind. I whirled around. My
danger was too much for the watching Jetta. She screamed.

"Philip, look out for him!"

"Hah! The American. By damn, what is this?"

It gave De Boer pause. He gripped a wing stay-wire for a second.

Then he came with a rush.

The corridor door was open behind me. I flung myself into it--and
collided with a shape.

"Philip!"

I shoved at her frantically.

"Jetta, get back! Away from us!"

I pulled at her, half falling. De Boer's shape came through the
doorway into