"In intra-dimensional space I saw the glow of Tom Parker's force area and I made my way to your world quickly. But Tom could not get my warning: he was too stubbornly and deeply engrossed in the work he was engaged in. The girl Joan was slightly more susceptible, and I believe she was beginning to sense my telepathic messages when she sent for you. Still and all, I had begun to give up hope when you came on the scene. I took you away just as the spider men succeeded in capturing your friends, and now my hope has revived. I feel sure that my warning shall not have been in vain." "But," objected Bert, "you've warned _me_, not the scientist of my world who is able to prevent the thing--" "Yes, _you_," the Wanderer broke in. "It is better so. This Tom Parker is a zealot even as was I--a man of science thinking only of his own discoveries. I am not sure he would discontinue his experiments even were he to receive my warning in all its horrible details. But you, O Man-Called-Bert, through your love of his sister and by your influence over him, will be able to do what I can not do myself: bring about the destruction of this apparatus of his; impress upon him the grave necessity of discontinuing his investigations. You can do it, and you alone, now that you fully understand." "Sa-ay! You're putting it up to me entirely?" "Nearly so, and there is no alternative. I believe I have not misjudged you; you will not fail, of that I am certain. For the sake of your own kind, for the love of Joan Parker--you will not fail. And for me--for this small measure of atonement it is permitted that I make or help to make possible--" "No, I'll not fail. Take me to them, quick." Bert grinned understandingly as the Wanderer straightened his broad shoulders and extended his hand. There was no lack of substantiality in the mighty grip of those closing fingers. * * * * * Again the sphere's invisible motors increased speed, and again the dizzying kaleidoscope of color swept past them more furiously. "We will now overtake them--your friends," said the Wanderer, "in the very act of passing between planes." "Overtake them...." Bert mumbled. "I don't get it at all, this time traveling. It's over my head a mile." "It isn't time travel really," explained the Wanderer. "We are merely closing up the time-space interval, moving to the precise spot in the universe where your friend's laboratory existed at the moment of contact between planes with your world and that of the Bardeks. We shall reach there a few seconds after the actual capture." "No chance of missing?" Bert watched the Wanderer as he consulted his mathematical data and made new adjustments of the controls.