Together they went to the palace courtyard, where two flying dragons were saddled and ready for them. “To direct your mount,” said Vanible Khan, “simply use our words for the right or left, up or down, or straight. The beast will proceed accordingly.” Both men mounted. “Up,” commanded Vanible Khan. “Up,” shouted Ted, and both beasts after running forward for a short distance with outspread wings, took to the air. They presently alighted before a large building near the outskirts of the city, and leaving their mounts in charge of an attendant, entered a great, arched doorway. Ted found himself in one of the largest factories he had ever seen. Hundreds of bullet shaped cars of a kind he had ridden in with Maza on his trip to Ultu were here being manufactured or repaired by thousands of busy workers. He cried out in pleased surprise when he suddenly spied his own interplanetary vehicle. Evidently it had been brought in by the order of Maza, and had just arrived, for workmen were removing chains by which it had been carried. “We have many skilled mechanics here,” said Vanible Khan. “If your flier can be repaired, you have but to command us.” “Summon a headman,” said Ted, “and I will show him what to do.” While the chief mechanic was being brought, Ted quickly took pad and pencil from his belt pouch and drew diagrams of the missing parts. Under his and Ted’s joint direction, with linguistic assistance when necessary, from Vanible Khan, the wreckage of the prow was cut away and orders were put through for the missing parts. “In two days your flier will be ready,” said the chief mechanic, when he departed. Two days later, when Ted, in company with Vanible Khan, called at the factory, he entered the cab, and closing it, flew about under the great arched roof of the factory. The motor and controls worked perfectly. Delighted, he returned to the assembling floor, invited his fellow scientist into the cab, and darting out of the large doorway, flew with him to the roof of the palace in a few seconds. They had scarcely alighted from the craft when a messenger hurried breathlessly up to them, and bowed low. “Her Imperial Majesty summons your lordships to the observation room, at once,” he said. “The people of Du Gong are in deadly peril.” XVI. TED ATTACKS Ted and his companion, Vanible Khan, hurried down a maze of stairways and hallways until they arrived in a large, square room, the walls of which were divided into panels. On each panel was a moving picture which seemed to shine through from the rear. An operator sat at a switchboard in the center of the room, pressing various buttons on the instrument before him from time to time. Maza was there with two of her gigantic guards, and several of her oldest counselors. She pointed to one of the panels as they entered. “P’an-ku is attacking your people with a terrible weapon, Ted Dustin,” she said. “Look.”