he
clipping again, "a flyer with courage, initiative and brains. The man
who led that raid is worth investing in."

"What's the proposition?" asked Featherstone wearily. He no longer
believed in luck.

"I'm Gregory Farson," the other returned as if that should answer the
question.

"The Antarctic man!"

"Just so. As you have probably heard, I was halted on the eve of my last
expedition by the sudden spread of war to this country. Now I am
preparing to sail south again."

"But I don't see--"

"How you can help me? Very simple, Captain Featherstone. I need pilots.
Unfortunately the war has disposed of most of them. I'm lucky to contact
one such as yourself--"

* * * * *

And it was as simple as that. But Garin didn't really believe that it
was more than a dream until they touched the glacial shores of the polar
continent some months later. As they brought ashore the three large
planes, he began to wonder at the driving motive behind Farson's vague
plans.

When the supply ship sailed, not to return for a year, Farson called
them together. Three of the company were pilots, all war veterans, and
two were engineers who spent most of their waking hours engrossed in the
maps Farson produced.

* * * * *

"Tomorrow," the leader glanced from face to face, "we start inland.
Here--" On a map spread before him he indicated a line marked in purple.

"Ten years ago I was a member of the Verdane expedition. Once, when
flying due south, our plane was caught by some freakish air current and
drawn off its course. When we were totally off our map, we saw in the
distance a thick bluish haze. It seemed to rise in a straight line from
the ice plain to the sky. Unfortunately our fuel was low and we dared
not risk a closer investigation. So we fought our way back to the base.

"Verdane, however, had little interest in our report and we did not
investigate it. Three years ago that Kattack expedition, hunting oil
deposits by the order of the Dictator, reported seeing the same haze.
This time we are going to explore it!"

"Why," Garin asked curiously, "are you so eager to penetrate this
haze?--I gather that's what we're to do--"

Farson hesitated before answering. "It has often been suggested that
beneath the ice sheeting of this continent may be hidden mineral wealth.
I believe that the haze is caused by some form of volcanic activity, and
perhaps a break in the cru