This time I heard a response from the interior of the room. It sounded like a gasp and then I heard someone moving--approaching the window. It was so dark in the interior that I could see nothing, but presently I heard a voice close to me. "Hadron! Where are you?" She had recognized my voice. For some reason I thrilled to the thought of it. "Here at the window, Tavia," I said. She came very close. "Where?" she asked. "I cannot see you." I had forgotten my robe of invisibility. "Never mind," I said. "You cannot see me, but I will explain that later. Is Phao with you?" "Yes." "And no one else?" "No." "I am going to take you with me, Tavia--you and Phao. Stand aside well out of line of the window so that you will not be hurt while I remove the bars. Then be ready to board my ship immediately." "Your ship!" she said. "Where is it?" "Never mind now. There is a ship here. Do just as I tell you. Do you trust me?" "With my life, Hadron, forever," she whispered. Something within me sang. It was more than a mere thrill; I cannot explain it; nor did I understand it, but now there were other things to think of. "Stand aside quickly, Tavia, and keep Phao away from the window until I call you again." Dimly I could see her figure for a moment and than I saw it withdraw from the window. Returning to the controls I brought the forward turret of the ship opposite the window, upon the bars of which I trained the rifle. I loaded it and pressed the button. Through the tiny sight aperture and because of the darkness I could see nothing of the result, but I knew perfectly well what had happened, and when I lowered the ship again and went on deck I found that the bars had vanished in thin air. "Quick, Tavia," I said. "Come!" With one foot upon the deck of the flier and the other upon the sill of the window, I held the ship close to the wall of the tower and as best I could I held the cloak of invisibility like a canopy to shield the girls from sight as they boarded the Jhama. It was difficult and risky business. I wished I might have had grappling hooks, but I had none and so I must do the best I could, holding the cloak with one hand and assisting Tavia to the sill with the other. "There is no ship," she said in a slightly frightened tone. "There is a ship, Tavia," I said. "Think only of your confidence in me and do as I bid." I grasped her firmly by the harness where the straps crossed upon her back. "Have no fear," I said, and then I swung her out over the hatch and lowered her gently into the interior of the Jhama. Phao was behind her and I must give her credit for being as courageous as Tavia. It must have been a terrifying experience to those two girls to feel that they were being lowered into thin air a hundred feet above the ground, for they could see no ship--only a darker hole within the darkness of the night. As soon as they were both aboard, I followed them, closing the hatch after me.