*CHAPTER XIV.*
*PLAN TO STEAL A BUILDING.*
Professor Quinn did not become unconscious. The frightful catastrophethat threatened Terra had preyed upon him at the expense of hisstrength. Easing him to the ground, I dropped beside him and held hishead on my knee.
"Cheer up, professor," said I. "It surprises me to see you give waylike this."
"Mr. Munn," he returned brokenly, "if this rattle-brained monarch goesout into the universe with a picked company of fifty men and a hundredzetbais, it will mean that the whole solar system will get a set-back toa period corresponding with our Middle Ages!
"These creatures of Njambai are far beneath those of Terra incivilization, and fate has placed in their hands the terrible zetbai, aweapon whose destructive powers are beyond compute.
"Oh, Mr. Munn, think of our government being overwhelmed by thesefour-handed, one-eyed creatures! Think of the word-box screechingthrough the lofty corridors of the Capitol at Washington, where thesoul-stirring eloquence of Senators and Representatives has beenthundered amain! Think of the----"
The professor could give no added touch to the harrowing picture.Throwing his hands to his face, he groaned aloud.
"This hasn't happened yet," said I.
"No, but it will happen unless we can do something to circumvent the madscheme. Anarchy will reign in our beloved land--over the wholeearth--and I will be held responsible. Ah, me! In removing the trustmagnates I have but paved the way for a mightier monopolist! I have butfollowed the sad example of Frankenstein, for out of my plans has sprunga monstrous project that will check progress and hurl civilization backfive hundred years."
"Don't give up hope," said I, but not very cheerfully, for I was greatlycast down. "Let us pretend to help them. We will lend our aid inmaking the car ready, and then, at the final moment, perhaps we can dartaway and leave them behind; or, failing in that, we may be able to throwthe zetbais from the car while in space. That will pull the fangs of theBaigadds, I think, and they will land on Earth as harmless as a lot ofkittens."
The professor took heart at this. He would have rallied any way, forhis resourceful nature could not struggle long in the slough of despond.
J. Archibald Meigs had been circling around the edge of our barrierseeking for another glimpse of Markham and even calling his name withall his lung power. But the food-trust magnate neither answered norshowed himself, being engaged in a house-to-house canvass for thepittance of provender that would keep him alive.
Meigs finally turned to us and demanded the cause of the professor'sdowncast air. Quinn revealed the king's plot and Meigs tore off into anoutburst of recrimination, just as I expected he would do.
The professor bowed his head meekly to the tempest and even restrainedme when I would have put a stop to the broker's intemperate language.
By and by we had our noon meal, and with the attendants who brought itcame Olox, seating himself on the ground and watching us as we ate. Thehigh chief was quite amiable, and I began asking him questions relativeto our surroundings.
He indicated the king's private apartments in the palace, and pointedout his own residence, as well as the dwelling occupied by the lateexecutioner-general, besides vouchsafing other information of interest.
"What is that small, square building under the wing of the palace?" Iasked.
"That is the imperial exchequer," said he. "Within that building theking keeps the most priceless of all his treasures."
"And what is that?" inquired the professor.
"The Bolla," was the startling answer.
Quinn and I exchanged expressive glances. Here, through a chance remarkby Olox, we were suddenly reminded of our duty to the king of Baigol.It was necessary that Olox should not see the startled looks which theprofessor and I were exchanging, and Mercurial eyes were preternaturallysharp.
"Bolla?" I allowed to come limpingly from the talk instrument. "Whatmay that be?"
"A stone," answered Olox, and there was suspicion in his manner in spiteof my attempt to avert it. "You already know of the Bolla. Your friendrequested his majesty to have it brought out, and at that time you saidthat you had heard of it in the other kingdom."
"So we did," I replied, trimming my sails to another breeze, "but whatis it? Our information is rather vague."
"A stone, as I just said," went on Olox. "It has a beneficial moral andphysical effect on whoever touches it."
"Where did it come from?"
"It has been in Njambai for ages," was the indefinite answer.
"How did King Gaddbai get hold of it?"
"He borrowed it from the king of Baigol."
"And yet you call it one of his treasures! If it was borrowed, Olox,how could it possibly belong here?"
"King Gaddbai has taken it," was the calm response. "What he wants hemakes his own. If King Golbai had not loaned the stone, there wouldhave been a war."
"Was that the right thing for your king to do?" inquired the professor.
"Whatever our sovereign does is right."
There was no getting around a flat statement of that sort. Evidentlythe ruler of the country had drilled his subjects thoroughly.
"What did you do at the car, Olox?" said the professor.
"At the iron house?" The professor nodded.
Nods and gestures were well understood by the people of Njambai, for,with four hands, they were well equipped for finger and whole armmovements.
"The king's orders were carried out, at the iron house," finished Olox.
"The paint was returned to its proper place?"
"Even so."
"And the telescope----'
"That matter was attended to."
"I trust you handled the telescope with care? It is exceedingly fragileand could be easily injured."
"After the king spoke as he did, death by zet would be meted out to theone who injured the instrument."
There were several things I wanted to ask Olox, and the principal onehad to do with Gilhooly, and the way he had been taken from the car andmade to serve the traction interests of the kingdom. However, theprofessor was keeping Olox so busy with his word-box that my ownquestions were crowded out.
"The family of the executioner-general are anxious to have himreturned," remarked Olox, while the professor was looking for the properkey on which to formulate his next question. "Could that beaccomplished?"
"It might," replied the professor guardedly.
"What has become of him?"
"He disappeared as he was about to commit a deed of base injustice,"said the professor grimly.
"We are aware of that," and Olox looked uneasily around as he punchedthe words, "but we are ignorant of the cause of his disappearance. He isa distant relative of mine, and I promised his next of kin to put thesequestions to you. Is he alive?"
"Undoubtedly."
Olox pressed closer and muffled his word-box so that the sounds couldnot carry to dangerous limits.
"If you would tell us how to proceed in the matter of getting theexecutioner-general back," he whispered, "I can promise you and yourfriends help in getting out of the country."
"Look out for the indexograph, Olox," said I. "If they should happen togive you a try out with it, the ideograph wouldn't look well to theking."
Olox was greatly shaken--so shaken, in fact, that he could not pursuethe subject further.
"I will talk with you later about the executioner-general," he finished,noting the empty dishes before the professor and Meigs and me, and thecurious manner of those who had come with him. "Until then, prayconsider that nothing has been said on the subject." With that, hearose and beckoned to his companions.
After Olox had led the attendants away with the empty food receptacles,the professor and I got our heads together on the mission that hadbrought us to Baigadd.
We did not think it necessary or advisable to let Meigs know of ourpurpose in regaining control of the Bolla.
A tingle of gratification shot along my nerves. The feeling ofoppression that had burdened me was lifted, for I ever loved to crack aprofessional nut, and here was one that would certainly try me to theutmost.
I surveyed the small building with critical eyes.
"Here is where my inches get the better of me, professor," said I. "Forone of my size to get into that house is out of the question. And Iwouldn't know where to lay hands on the Bolla if it were physicallypossible for me to effect an entrance."
"I can make a suggestion, Mr. Munn," said Quinn, "which would get yousafely around that difficulty."
"What is that?"
"Whisper." I inclined my ear to his lips. "Why not run away with theimperial exchequer?"
"Eh?" I gasped.
"Steal it bodily, I mean. When you get to Baigol with it, let the kingeffect entrance, secure his Bolla, and then you return the exchequer toits original location. Of course, it would be very wrong to steal theking's treasury, and I would not counsel that under any consideration.You merely borrow it to obtain the Bolla; the stone returned to itsrightful owners, you return the exchequer."
"And get zetbaied for my pains!" I exclaimed.
"Let us hope," said the professor, "that before you can get zetbaied weshall be in a position to use the car and escape from the planet."
I gave much thought to the matter.
"It is a long chance," I returned frankly, "but I have been taking longchances ever since I became a cracksman. I will put the plan inoperation, professor, at the very first opportunity that presentsitself."
Thus we left the matter, the professor warmly congratulating me on mycourage and expressing the hope that I would prove equally courageous inmore worthy pursuits, if the chance ever offered.
Adrift in the Unknown; or, Queer Adventures in a Queer Realm Page 14