At once Jack began calling, and back came Stone’s voice in re-assuring accents almost immediately, telling that they had cleared the Mountain Wall in handsome style, that the plane was performing flawlessly, and that even the cross-currents of wind which tugged at them, sweeping down valleys and canyons and around mountain peaks, seemed to make no difference to Frank. To the latter’s skill, Stone paid handsome tribute. All this Jack repeated to his auditors and Ali and Jepthah interpreted for the Arabs and the revolutionists respectively. Jepthah had stayed to witness the start of the expedition instead of rejoining his command and now intended to wait the few hours more which would tell its outcome. Suddenly, excitement seized Jack. His brow contracted, his eyes blazed. “Say that again,” he shouted into the transmitter. A moment of concentrated listening, then: “All right, I’ll tell them. How far away, did you say? Twenty-five miles of straight flying. All right, all right. We’ll be ready for them.” Tearing off the headset in his eagerness, he whirled around to the crowd which, alarmed by his tone even though the words were not understood by most, had drawn close about him. His eyes sought and found Jepthah and him he addressed: “There’s an attack against Korakum coming by way of the river. As the airplane crossed a gorge twenty-five miles from here through which the subterranean river ran exposed, Amrath counted three boatloads of armed men making their way toward Korakum. There may be more. He didn’t see them. About twelve men in a boat.” “Perhaps, they are not advancing on Korakum,” suggested Mr. Hampton. Jepthah shook his head in negation. “They could be going nowhere else,” he said. “Well, thanks to our friends, we are warned. We shall be ready for them.” Turning, he issued a crisp order in Athensian which caused the revolutionists in the group to dart away at once. Their bare legs flashed as they raced through the grove, then they leaped over the underbrush at the edge of the terrace without even seeking out the path which had been cut through it, and started running up the Great Road. “Your Arabs,” said Jepthah, tersely, to Mr. Hampton, “can we count on them?” “They are free agents,” said the latter. “I’ll ask Ali.” The latter, standing close at hand, did not wait to be appealed to. “We are at your command, sir,” he said to Jepthah. Between this educated Arab with his cosmopolitan experience and air of mystery, and all the young Athensian revolutionists, had developed a warm feeling of mutual liking and respect. “I knew it,” said Jepthah. “Good. Would you take your men and report at once to Lieutenant Horeb.” The latter had not gone down the Great Road to witness the start of the flight, but had remained in command of the tunnel guard.