When they reached the door of the torture chamber, Ted, with both degravitors ready for action, led a quick rush into the room. Twenty painted torturers, taken by surprise, reached for their weapons, but not one reached in time. Then Ted and Fen Ho plunged into the series of smaller chambers on the right, while Shen Ho and Wen Ho took those on the left. One after another, painted torturers went down before the degravitors of Ted or the green ray projectors of Fen Ho. Presently they reached the last chamber of the series and found no torturer present. It was occupied by but one victim, and Ted cried out in surprise as he recognized him. “Professor Ederson!” he exclaimed, “and I thought you safe in Chicago!” A flash of his degravitor cut the heavy cable which held the cylinder of water that was straining the professor’s neck cords, and it crashed to the floor. Then, while Fen Ho swiftly released the savant’s hands and feet, Ted removed the helmet and chin clamp. The professor attempted to speak, but his voice failed him, and he suddenly fainted, toppling into the arms of his young friend. “I’ll carry him to the main torture chamber,” said Ted. “You find Shen Ho and get that little bottle of medicine that revived Wen Ho. It may work on my friend.” “It will,” replied Fen Ho, speeding away. When Ted reached the central chamber with the slight form of the professor drooping in his arms, he found the three Ho brothers awaiting him. “Every torturer has been slain,” said Shen Ho as he dropped some medicine on the tongue of the professor, “and no alarm has been given as yet, but we must work swiftly.” The professor regained consciousness and the power of speech with remarkable speed, while Fen Ho and Wen Ho busied themselves with releasing such torture victims as were not yet mortally injured and mercifully dispatching the others. These men were armed with the weapons of the torturers and instructed to hold the chambers against all comers. “Thank you, Ted,” said the professor, “and these friends of yours for saving my life. I had reached the end of my rope both literally and figuratively. A few more drops of water in that cylinder would have snapped my cervical vertebrae.” Ted introduced the three brothers to his old friend, and in a few moments the professor declared himself able not only to walk unaided, but to bear weapons. He declined one of the pistol degravitors when it was preferred him, but took a green ray projector, sword, and buzz-saw spear. “Now for that big projector of P’an-ku’s,” said Ted. “It will be in the second peak,” answered Shen Ho. “Follow me, and I’ll get you there in the shortest possible time.”