CHAPTER XVI.

UNMASKING THE TRAITOR.

As Tad listened, standing on the caldron’s rim, he heard yet another sound, unnatural and fearsome. It seemed to come through a rift in the side wall here--a cañon rift slashed like a huge black gash. A sound very far away, but gigantic; a dim, monstrous surge--the roar of tumbling water! He turned.

“Entt, what is that?”

Nereid answered him. “The water coming through the flood-gates.”

Ah, and when, backed up with its pressure, or breaking through the walls, it reached here?

There was human activity here--sights and sound and movement. On the broad, nearer slope from this upper rim to the red level where the fire began, stone buildings were set in terraces. It was the main industrial village of the Middge. Great pipes led up, bringing the heat for power, to the factories, not active now. They stood with windows dark, their outlines edged with red.

But there was one large building, a mile away, with rows of lights. Figures moved about it, and the open rocky plateau beside it was busy with human activity.

This was the Middge scientific workshop. Nereid pointed it out. It was the laboratory and arsenal where the Middge were now assembling their equipment of war.

There was a broad, mile-long ledge, near at hand on the downward slope. It was thronged with Middge; several hundred young men seated in orderly array, and nearly as many young girls, like Nereid, of flowing robes and tawny hair. The pick of the youth of the Middge were here, small, slender, white-skinned, come here to be told what to do. There were older men moving around among them.

Tad was drawn away. Middge leaders came up to greet Fen--small men of middle age, alert, solemn. The party went down the slope, mingled with the crowd on the ledge. The _arras_ were left at the summit, half-blinded by the glare, chained to the rocks.

Tad was there barely an hour. With inactivity came thoughts of Arturo and me. He was increasingly worried--anxious to return. He sat with Nereid. She, too, was frightened over us. She still could not communicate with Arturo.

The Middge meeting proceeded. Fen took no part in it, but Tad noticed that many of the leaders conferred with him frequently. There were speeches made to the assembled youth. Plans were told, immediately to be put into execution.

The plans of men! How easy to make them, earnestly looking ahead to their fulfillment! How easy to look back, too late, and see the causes of their frustration!

There was one cause, here at Tad’s elbow--Bhool, eagerly listening. Even then, it seemed to Tad strange that Bhool, a Gian, should be here. The Gians were never curious over the Middge industrial activity. No Gian ever came here. They bought or confiscated the Middge products, content to have them, incurious of their manufacture. Apathetic, ineffectual were the Gian men; and the ruling Gian women were unconcerned over industrial details. But Bhool now was admitted--Fen’s personal servant, nothing was thought of him.

Plans. There was, in all the chaos, some good news. The exploring party had returned. It had found a new tunnel-passage and followed it for nearly three hundred miles, coming at last to rushing water in a chasm, barring the way. But the scientists in the party had estimated their position: above the floor of the ocean--within what we call a submerged mountain, perhaps. This subterranean river would recede. It was of different quality from ocean water. Its volume lessened while for a day they waited. With the ocean draining, this river would empty. A way of escape for the Middge people was here.

A hundred couriers were now dispatched everywhere throughout the abyss. Most of them were these active young girls, more expert riders of the _arras_ than were the men. The Middge people, nearly a million of them, would be started presently, most of them on foot. A march of a few hundred miles--a migration upward to safety.

* * * * *

The leaders needed Entt at once. He was to go to the tunnel entrance--two hours’ ride from here on his _arras_. He would stay there for a time, helping to erect the light-beacons which were to guide the Middge people in finding the entrance. He did not want to go; he had hoped to stay with Nereid. He faced her, pathetically. At her gentle smile he turned away, spoke to Tad, and left. A bustling group of Middge leaders swallowed him up.

Within a few days, it was believed, all the Middge public would have departed. But the gates might break at any time. An attack now was to be made upon them. It was hoped that perhaps the departing Gians had already abandoned them.

There were weapons for a small army here in the Middge arsenal, but almost none were ready; all unassembled as yet, for this thing Rhana had done had come too unexpectedly. The weapons--all this equipment for war against the Gians--would be taken up through the passage, to be assembled later. Unless the gates could be closed now, this realm down here was doomed. The Middge would have to cast their lot above--

“But they may get the gates closed,” Tad exclaimed.

“Then,” said Nereid, “the people will be turned back. We like it here--you know that, Tad. Each to his own portion. The Creator intended it.”

Some of the weapons were brought up for Fen’s inspection. There was one device which strangely interested Tad. Equipment complete now, for four people. He gazed at it, listened to Nereid as she translated what the scientists were telling Fen about it.

Tad said suddenly, “Nereid, I want those. Can they spare them?”

“What for, Tad?”

“I don’t know.” He did not. It may have been a premonition, dawning, unformed plans in his mind. But he knew he wanted this equipment--more eagerly than he had ever wanted anything before.

Nereid told her father. There was much discussion. The other men came over; Tad pleaded earnestly.

He got the equipment. He sat beside it, puzzling, wondering what had prompted him to demand it. Bhool had gone a short distance away to another part of the ledge to see what was going on there. He came back. Tad concealed his possessions; he made Nereid sit with her robe over them. He roughly, angrily ordered Bhool to keep away. That, too, was a premonition.

It seemed to the impatient Tad an endless time before they were ready to start back. But it came at last. The Middge expedition was starting now for the flood-gates.

The ride back also seemed endless. Bhool was put with Fen; Nereid and Tad, still with the equipment concealed, rode together.

The open void of the main abyss held a confusion of activity now. The roads were crowded with Middge--the beginning of the retreat. Every house showed lights and hurried, panic-stricken movement. Overhead, an occasional huge aëro of Gians would pass, flying for the City of the Mound.

Tad was hoping that we would be at Fen’s house. But we were not. The note was there, untouched. Tad went to his room, and hid the equipment. Bhool prepared food. Nereid was still trying to communicate with us. At this time, probably, I was still unconscious, and she could not reach Arturo with her thoughts. It may have been that his mind was too absorbed with our plight--I cannot say.

Fen had no plan to find us. But he said once, “They may be in the Castle--if it is success--the gate attack--I will have young men try to get in there--”

Tad recalls that from the adjoining room where Bhool was working a clang sounded as he dropped a metal platter.

* * * * *

They ate a brief meal. They were all exhausted. They would sleep for a few hours. Messengers would come to report the fate of the gate-house attack. If it failed, then Nereid would get together a few belongings. They would leave for the tunnel, join Entt and start upward, with hundreds of thousands of others, fleeing this doomed realm.

Nereid had other plans. She did not know just what, but she knew she would not leave Arturo. But she said nothing, nor did Tad. He was still puzzling, groping with half-formed ideas.

The house quieted. Tad was alone in his room. He lay down, trying to plan. It was coming to him. It was feasible. With this equipment he could get into the Castle. But how could he find us? How know even that we were there at all?

He would need Nereid. Let her sleep now for a few hours. And he needed the rest himself. He did not intend to sleep, but he drifted off, still vaguely planning.

Tad awakened suddenly, wide awake at once, with his mind clear. And like an inspiration he had the answer; as though in his sleep it had come to him, waking him up. That accursed Bhool! Tad saw it all now, clearly; the wonder of it was that he had not seen it before. Bhool in the garden--he had stayed always by me, edged me along. Rhana would want to see me; Bhool had displayed a great interest in me. Tad recalled a dozen suspicious things in Bhool’s actions. And in the garden, when we had disappeared, Tad remembered now that Bhool was for a few moments missing also. And the fellow dropped a platter when he heard Fen say that we were probably in the Castle. Tad had gone into the kitchen and found Bhool in confusion.

It came like an inspiration. Bhool knew where we were. Well, if he did, Tad now proposed to get it out of him.

Tad crept from his room. The house was silent; Nereid and Fen were asleep. He went to Bhool’s room. It was empty. But in a moment there was a step. Bhool came along the passage from the street door. He had in reality just been to the Castle, finding his opportunity now with the household asleep. He had seen us in our cell. Had told Rhana of the coming attack by the Middge on the gate-house; and she had sent him back to get further information.

Tad saw him coming along the passage, smirking to himself, satisfied with his accomplishment. No craven, cringing air about him when he was alone! That was a pose. But Tad leaped out upon him; jerked him roughly into the room. The cringing came to him; but it was not a pose this time--he was frightened, gray-white of face, chattering.

“M-master--what is it?”

* * * * *

Tad twisted him. “What became of Arturo and the big man, his friend?”

“M-master--”

“Tell me, you damned hangar-rat.”

“Master--I don’t know--what you talk--” He chattered off into his own language.

“Stop that! Talk English! Stand up here. I’m not hurting you!”

But Bhool’s knees gave away. He groveled at Tad’s feet.

“I want to know what you did with them. Where are they?”

“Them? Who?”

Tad shook him.

“M-master, you hurt--”

“Do I? Where are they? Where is Arturo?”

“I don’t know.” He took the cuff of Tad’s hand on his face, cringing, but he mumbled, “I cannot tell--I know nothing--”

It was possible he did not, but Tad wasn’t taking any chances.

“M-master! Oh, master--you hurt--”

“Stop your screaming! If you wake any one up I’ll kill you! Talk!”

It was exasperating.

“M-master--my wrist--it will break--”

Tad eased his twisting. “Will you talk?”

“N-no--oh, master!”

It brought Tad a sense of physical nausea, the fellow was so helpless, fragile--his wrist would crack. But Tad gritted his teeth and twisted.

“Tell me, damn you!”

“Master! Stop--” He screamed, “I’ll tell you! Oh--stop!”

Tad relaxed. And Bhool told; with a burst, half incoherent he told it all.

“But if she knows. Master, if she knows, she will kill me!”

“I don’t care what she does to you.” Tad straightened, triumphant. That cell in which we were imprisoned--he could locate it. He had lived in the Castle, and knew its interior well.

“Stand up, you!” He jerked Bhool to his feet, dragged him out, then woke up Fen and Nereid, and told them.

“Here, you take him.”

Fen was still confused. “But, Tad--tell me more of this. What did he--”

Tad told them it all. “Cursed traitor! By the code, he’s done enough damage.”

They barred him in a small windowless room. Tad explained his purpose. “Will you try it, Nereid?”

“Oh--” She was speechless with her eagerness.

They left Fen to guard Bhool. “We can do it in an hour,” said Tad. “We’ll be back, with Jeff and Arturo!”

They went to Tad’s room. Both of them trembling with the haste and excitement of it, they got out the equipment they had brought from the fire caldron. Within ten minutes they slipped like shadows from the house.