It was some time before the welcome flash of sunlight appeared. After making his observations, Ted calculated that they had been driven more than three hundred miles southwest of their course by the storm. When the plane was once more headed toward the point where they hoped to find the Hawaii, he descended the stairway to see what he could do for Roger. He found him in one of the cabin chairs, curiously examining a film of dust that had formed on the map-table. “Where do you suppose that came from?” he asked, poking it with his finger. “Volcanic ash,” replied Dustin. “Sometimes travels clear around the world, so we needn’t be surprised to find it here after that huge upheaval. How’s the head feeling now, old man?” “Better, thanks.” “Good. We’ll just have time for a cold snack before we board the Hawaii.” As soon as they had eaten, Ted took food up to the pilot and steered the ship while he ate. “Nearly there, aren’t we, sir?” asked Bevans, after he had swallowed the last morsel. “Almost. I’ll give you the signal to descend, from the cabin. We’re going to need our searchlight, I’m afraid.” Once more in the cabin, Ted consulted his instruments. Presently he gave the order to descend. In a moment they were plunged into deep gloom which the mighty searchlights failed to penetrate for more than fifty feet in any direction. “We’ll never find them this way,” said Ted. “Try the radio, Roger, will you?” Sanders sat down in front of the powerful instrument and turned the dials. “She’s dead,” he announced. “That electrical storm must have burned out something.” “Here. You keep watch while I see what’s wrong,” replied Ted. It only took the inventor a moment to find the trouble. “Burned out every tube,” he said, “and I forgot to bring a spare set. We’ll just have to keep cruising around, I guess, and hope for luck. A nice mess we’ve gotten into.” “For my part I’m thankful to be alive, radio or no radio,” said Roger. “Righto, but I’ll certainly be disappointed if I can’t be aboard the Hawaii with those official observers when the projectile strikes the moon. We may be able to see it with our binoculars, but I doubt it.” As they cruised about in ever widening circles, the time slipped away, but there was no sign of the Hawaii. Presently, when the chronometer showed 6:20 Ted gave up the search and ordered Bevans to hurry back to the designated observation point. They barely reached it at 6:50, and another minute was consumed in rising above the highest cloud stratum. The sun had set and the half-illumined orb of the moon was just above the western horizon. Both men trained their binoculars on it simultaneously. Came 6:53 and they waited tensely for the thirteenth second, at which instant the projectile was calculated to strike.