perceived at once that something was
wrong. The living-room was in disorder; some of the pieces of furniture
had been overturned, and many of the smaller articles were scattered
about the floor. Even the wall-hangings had been torn down.

In sudden fear the Chemist ran through the building, calling to Loto.
Everywhere he saw evidence of intruders, who had ransacked the rooms, as
though making a hasty search. In one of the rooms, crouched on the
floor, he came upon Eena, Lylda's little serving-maid. The girl was
stricken dumb with terror. At the sight of her master she sobbed with
relief, and after a few moments told him what had happened.

When the Chemist rejoined his friends in the lower room his face was set
and white. The girl followed him closely, evidently afraid to be left
alone. The Chemist spoke quietly, controlling his emotion with obvious
difficulty.

"Loto has been stolen!" he said. "Targo and four of his men were here
soon after we left. Eena saw them and hid. They searched the house----"

"For the drugs," muttered the Doctor under his breath.

"----and then left, taking Loto with them."

"Which way did they go?" asked the Big Business Man. "Good God, what a
thing!"

"They went by water, in a large boat that was waiting for them here,"
answered the Chemist.

"How long ago?" asked the Doctor quickly. "We have not been gone very
long."

"An hour probably, not much more." Eena said something to her master and
began to cry softly.

"She says they left a little while ago. Three of the men took Loto away
in the boat. She watched them from the window upstairs."

"_Targo alia_," said the girl.

"One of the men was Targo," said the Chemist. He went to one of the
windows overlooking the lake; the Doctor stood beside him. There was no
boat in sight.

"They cannot have got very far," said the Doctor. "Those islands
there----"

"They would take him to Orlog," said the Chemist. "About fifty miles."

The Doctor turned back to the room. "We can get them. You forget--these
drugs--the power they give us. Oh, Will." He called the Big Business Man
over to them; he spoke hurriedly, with growing excitement. "What do you
think, Will? That boat--they've got Loto--it can't be very far. We can
make ourselves so large in half an hour we can wade all over the lake.
We can get it. What do you think?"

The Chemist dropped into a chair with his head in his hands. "Let me
think--just a moment, Frank. I know the power