y from his
path, he drove straight for the home field.

* * * * *

In the office of the Governor, the radio newscaster was announcing
last-minute items of interest. The Governor switched off the
instrument as Smithy entered, supporting the tall figure of Colonel
Culver, whose face and head were swathed in bandages. Culver had
insisted upon accompanying him for the rendering of their report,
though Smithy had to do the talking for both of them.

He outlined their experience in brief sentences. "And now," he was
saying grimly, "you can go as far as you please, Governor. You've got
a man's sized fight on your hands. We don't know how many there are of
them. We don't know how fast they'll spread out, but--"

A shrill wail interrupted him. From the newscasting instrument came a
flash of red that filled the room. The crystal, the emergency call,
installed on all radios within the past year and never yet used, was
clamoring for the country's attention.

Governor Drake sprang to switch it on, and tried to explain to Smithy
as he did so. "It's out of my hands now," he said. "Washington has--"
Then the radio came on with a voice which shouted:

"Emergency order. All aircraft take notice. Mole-men"--Smithy started
at the sound of the word; it was the name he had given them
himself--"Mole-men are invading Western states. A new race. They have
come from within the earth. In Arizona, three ships of the
Transcontinental Day Line, Southern Division, have been destroyed with
the loss of all passengers and crew. Shattered in air.

"It is war, war with an unknown race. Goldfield, Nevada, is in ruins.
Heavy loss of life. Federal Government taking control. Air-Control
Board orders traffic to avoid following areas...."

There followed a list of locations, while still the red crystal blazed
its warning across the land and to all aircraft in the skies. Southern
California, Arizona, Nevada--Southern Transcontinental Routes closed;
all except military aircraft grounded in restricted areas.

* * * * *

Smithy's excitement had left him. In his mind he was looking far off,
deep under the surface of the world. "They've been there," he said
quietly, "thousands of years. A new race--and they've just now learned
of this other world outside. Three ships downed! They picked them off
in the air just as they tried to do with us. I knew we had a fight on
our hands."

His voice died