Evening star., 1925-01-04
CONTINUED from Yesterdays Starr

At once Milliken sprang for the en-
gine hatch, but Dan Lamont seized
him by the arm.
Don't open anything yet, MILL
ken!" he yelled. Not yet-we're still
in the haze. 1t might be che gasv'
"Gas-hell!" said Milliken. "I want
to see what's happened to the en-
gine!"
Jimmy Danny cried in distress,
as the mechanic gently put him aside.
Just a moment. Milliken," I inter-
vened. Lets think this thing out
Mr.. Lamont may be right" Z. =
Right, sir" said Milliken, and
stood aside at once.
The pinkish haze lay about us as
we rode the sea. To the north OF US
the liner still wallowed in the troughs
and the British cruiser was coming
airship fioated motionless In the sky
to the south of us. seemingly none the
worse for our attack, nor making any
attempt to get away. My glance fell
on the clock attached to the control
board.
Mighty" I exclaimed in surprise
TITS hardly ten minutes since we
sighted herr
Whats to be done about the en-
gine, Mr. Boon?" Milliken demanded.
Wen be guided by what Mr.. La
mont says, Milliken. What's your no
ton, Danny?" I asked.
Dan was on his knees working the
bottle for sampling the gas. He
looked up, then rose.
i've worked the bottle" he said,
"but I can't test the gas here. II this
haze is what I think It Is. we can't
open anything for long without being
doped. This is what I say. It's
damned unscientific-but I don't be-
lieve in tests even on white mice.
Let me open a port slightly and take
a whiff-I'm certain the raiders are
averse to the use of anything lethal.
If keel over, shut the port quick
and bung my nose up against the oxy-
gen tube and leave me to recover.
That will be enough II I don't show
signs of choking"
1 was taken aback at having to
sanction such a, proceeding, but there
was no time to argue the matter.
You're o. C. Stinks, Danny" I said
quietly, 'and what you say goes. Is
that the order?"
Sure it Is" said Dan, a little
breathlessly.
Right" I said. eff didn't think
1 pray God it's nothing worse than
the usual gas
'I don't see why they should change
their tactics now said Dan. III
don't come round, try the ether injec-
tions I showed you. Stand by. boys"
He went quickly to a portfolio and
undid the screw, then swung the
cover aside and stuck his head out.
IT'S the ga-gas-allri'-" he NUT
tered with funny little smile. Then
he seemed to crumple. and l caught
hi m ba all xrh "a
cover back into its place and threw
in the fastener, while I gently laid
my friend down with his fair head
against the oxygen nozzle.
Whether 1t was seeing Dan keel
over in that fashion, or that Miiliken
and L got a Whit OF the gas, I can't
attempt to gauge, but we both had
the symptoms of being pretty sick. 1
know that when my mechanic went
to fetch a pillow to put under Dams
head he reeled and went white while
was as dizzy-headed as could be.
Dan was breathing quietly, and de-
spite our anxiety there seemed no
need to inject ether or try artificial
respiration as he had showed US.
Pluck, if you like, SIR Milliken
muttered, and very gently he lifted
Dams head and put the pillow under
it. That was all we could do. for
Dams shirt collar was open and his
clothing loose. We made the little
fellow as comfortable as we could.
We were just rising to our feet.
Miniken and I, when the cabin shook
to a distant thud. A wispy ball of
smoke was drifting from one of the
barbette guns of the cruiser, and as
we watched a string of bunting was
broken out on her signal halyard.
LOOK" said Milliken. There's a
plane up"
Sure enough, while we had been at
tending to Dan the cruiser had cata-
pulled one of her machines into the
air, and it already was climbing after
the airship.
'Reel out the aerial, Milliken," I
said. 1--WE might pick up a message
or something
] switched into the open receiver as
he let the wire down, then we
watched the progress of the fight.
The airplane was climbing steadily
and cleverly after, the dirigible, which
was making no attempt to get away,
but as the pink haze still lay about
the enemy, I saw that the men In the
open machine would be doped before
they could attack. I sprang to the
radio to warn them il could-for the
aerial was a bit short for sending,
since we were afioat-but Just then a
message came betting across the
phone:
"His Britannia Majesty's ship Bril-
liant to the damned pirate: Surren-
der" came the voice. "The games
up!'
Immediately came the calm reply
"Airship Ark Of the Covenant to
II. NJ. S. Brilliant: On the contrary,
the game has not yet begun. Don't
be absurd, Brilliant"
second machine flashed Off the
cruisers stage and began to soar
after the other. l switched into
transmission.
"U. S. seaplane Merlin to H. NJ. S.
Brilliant" I shouted. keep your pi-
lots out Of the pink haze round the
airship It is the sleep-producing
gas.'
Thanks, Merlin" came an English
voice. THAT was a jolly good try Of
yours. Hope you aren't damaged?
Don't know yet" said.
Up above us the first plane opened
fire with a machine gun. We could
hear the "rat-tat-tat" of it. But as
the sound came and we. heard the
warning to go out from the cruiser we
saw the plane enter the fringe of the
haze Only for a second after that
was it under control. 1t stalled, then
got into a spinning nose dive, right
ing lust before II crashed fiat into the
sea. AS it crashed it's companion also
went out of control on sudden,
though II had not reached the haze.
Then 1t righted, to go sliding down