"Close the opening," he called out, catching sight of the group on the platform. An involuntary laugh greeted the order. Annoyed at the failure of his command to produce activity, the scientist worked his way up to the platform, emerging between the end-shafts of a ladder. At the point in the hull where the pipe had penetrated, a bulging mass of the lava-like substance was slowly hardening. * * * * * He grunted. "Temporarily that will do. Later it must be covered with metal." DuChane winked at Sally. "Anchors aweigh!" he sang. "Heave ho and a bottle of rum! Stand by for the good ship Thornboldt. But look here, Eli, what about the eight?" "Eh?" "Seems to me Pearl predicted we'd make our start when there were four men, four gals, beside yourself. According to my reckoning, it doesn't count out." "You ask me to take stock in such superstition? Am I a scientist or a Hottentot?" Another lurch caused them all to grasp at near objects for support. "What makes it do that?" demanded Sally, nervously. "Ever since we climbed in it's been acting like a horse with the heaves." "It's the sphere turning and settling," DuChane informed her. His arm encircled her waist and she struggled--though not too violently, Marlin thought--to break away. "Notice the floor's tilting? Won't be long before it stands straight up." "Four and four," muttered the Dane into his beard. "There should be eight instead of seven. Where is that girl?" Catching a glimpse of Pearl in the tool enclosure, he strode toward it. "Oh no--he isn't superstitious!" commented DuChane. "If we could rig up a periscope--push it through the soft part inside of the pipe--we might stand a chance of observing what goes on outside," Marlin suggested. Without enthusiasm, DuChane agreed that it was a good idea. Releasing his hold on Sally, he followed Marlin down the ladder and they began an investigation of the more nearly finished section of the interior. Some of the machinery they found understandable, much of it was strange. All loose objects had been tumbled into corners-probably had rolled around the circumference of whatever confined space they happened to be in, as the sphere slowly accomplished its rotation. But the supplies for the most part had been packed in anticipation of severe jolts. There was a really enormous supply of canned goods and other food items in sealed containers, but as yet no bunks had been erected in the doorless staterooms. In one compartment they found a disarray of packing cases heaped together along one side-wall. One box had been crushed, revealing a gleaming cylinder. "What are you doing there?" demanded Thornboldt from the doorway. "If these happen to be instruments, perhaps you can tell us if there's a periscope in the lot," returned DuChane. Eli fell to examining the boxes. "Try this one," he suggested. "Yes, that's a good idea. Very good." He hurried away, leaving them wondering at his unusual good spirits.