“Wait a minute, wait a minute,” said Roy Stone. “It’s only a sixty-mile flight to Athensi, and we’ll be there in less than an hour. We have got to wait, and to time our departure so as to arrive at the hour of exercise this afternoon. Even then our friends here”—indicating the young Athensians—“may have guessed wrong as to the time of exercising the alien gladiators, and then we’d be up the spout.” Jepthah shook his head in negation. “Procedure in Athensi never changes,” he said. “Two hours after midday the alien gladiators are taken into the arena for exercise and training. It has always been so.” “Good,” said Stone, “then we start at half past one to the dot. Now to settle who goes. One of you boys will have to go to fly the plane. I’m the only one who can drop the gas bombs, so that lets me out of the flying. And one of the Athensians will have to go as guide. Amrath wants the job, and, as I can _parlez vous francais_ and so can understand him, that’s all right. Now which of you two fellows takes the stick?” “Frank,” said Jack instantly. He himself was dying to undertake the flight, but he knew the depth of affection between his two comrades, and not for worlds would he have deprived Frank of the chance to rescue Bob. Frank, who had remained silent, regarded his chum gratefully and reaching out squeezed his hand hard. “All right,” said Stone. “Frank it is. We can take only three, because we need the fourth seat for Bob coming back. And now,” he added, rising, “let’s go down to the old buss and tune her up, give her a good overhauling, and run her around a little with you at the stick, Frank, so you learn her tricks.” CHAPTER XXIII. THE FLIERS WARN KORAKUM. After a hectic morning, all was ready for the take-off as one-thirty o’clock approached. Right up to the last minute, Frank was kept by Stone at practising landing and taking-off within a limited space for, although the description given by the young revolutionists of the tremendous size of the arena promised sufficient space for the delicate work of alighting and re-ascending, yet Frank must be perfect. Otherwise, if the plane smashed, the expedition would be wrecked. Once inside of Athensi and the Coliseum, the only way to escape would be by means of the plane. Understanding full well the responsibility resting upon him, Frank concentrated on the task in hand. An expert aviator with four years of flying to his credit, he won the approval of Roy Stone as he managed the plane in masterly fashion and as his landings and ascents approached perfection. Finally, when twice in succession he had landed and re-ascended within an oval traced on the desert sand which all the Athensians, who could not recall the exact measurements of the arena, declared according to the best of their recollection was even smaller than that of the Coliseum, Stone ordered him to cease his efforts and rest for an hour.