CHAPTER XII
Toplinsky Grinned Slyly to Himself
Without speaking his thoughts, Michael stepped to the side of theroom, and shoved a hidden panel aside, exposing to the view of hiscompanions a small room containing a lavatory and supplies. Thrustinga plug in the white bowl he turned on a faucet and filled the bowlwith water.
“I did that,” he explained, “as a precaution in case the general turnsthe water supply off of this apartment. It would necessitateconsiderable work and a general overhauling but it is possible to stopthe water. With this bowl full we will have enough to drink until weget to the moon—provided, of course, Toplinsky gets there in the timehe has allowed for the trip. But as for eats I am afraid that we willhave to get outside occasionally. My brother is the cook, and if Icould get out to the kitchen we could get a supply of edibles withoutToplinsky getting much too wise.”
Epworth tiptoed to the door of the companionway, opened it slyly, andpeeped out. A guard was standing in front of the entrance with a gunin his hand. Toplinsky had disappeared.
“We will be watched constantly,” he explained, as he closed the doorsoftly. “There is a man out there with a gun on the door.”
He spoke despondently.
“Not so bad,” Michael said thoughtfully. “Probably he does not knowthat Michael Strauss is in bad with the general. If I step out therehe may think that I have been placed inside as a guard, and I can geta chance to knock him out.”
Epworth gave this idea consideration for some time. Finally he smiled.
“Did Toplinsky know that you were guarding us in the storeroom?”
“If he did it was an accident. He seldom pays attention to such smalldetails. I was sent in by Kosloff.”
“Fine. I see how we can eel out of this. You can go out, and talk tothe guard. While you are talking Billy and I will slip out and helpyou knock him out; then we will drag him in here, put him in thecloset, and you can take his place. Toplinsky will not know that therehas been a change of guards, and will think that he is the man weknocked out in the beginning.”
“Sounds easy.”
Michael nonchalantly opened the door, and slid out into thecompanionway. Immediately the guard threw a gun down on him.
“You can’t come out here,” the guard snarled in a surly way. “Thegeneral instructed me to let no one pass.”
“I’m not trying to pass,” Michael protested carelessly, “but I’m fedup with guarding that bunch inside. How would you like to exchangeplaces?”
“Not me. I’m staying where the general put me.”
Michael carelessly stepped up to the guard.
“Got a cigarette?”
“Cigarette.” The guard smacked his lips. “I’m crazy for one but you’vegot your crust asking for one. The general says that we are liable toblow up the ship, as it is full of hydrogen gas. In fact, if he shouldcatch you smoking I’d hate to be in your shoes.”
Michael leaned negligently against the wall, and the guard lowered hisgun and turned half around. He was startled by a noise at the door. Hewhirled but was too late. Epworth and Billy landed on his back like apile of brick, and Epworth’s hand closed over his mouth and throat.
Struggling fiercely the guard dropped his gun. Michael picked it upwith a chuckle, and slammed him on the head. The blow partiallystunned him and Epworth and Billy dragged him into Joan’s room, andwith a bedspread stripped into cords bound him. The second theyreleased his throat he sent up a loud shout for help.
“Take it easy,” Epworth advised, shoving the gun against his side. “Ifthere is any talking to be done Michael will do it.”
Michael did. Toplinsky heard the shouts and came running. When he gotto Joan’s room he found Michael on the outside acting as the guard.
“What is the matter here?” the general demanded harshly.
Michael saluted.
“They must be killing our comrade in there,” he responded somewhatindifferently. “He has been howling loud enough to raise the dead.”
“Why do you not look inside?”
“You told me to stay here, and let no one come out,” Michael answeredstupidly. “I’m doing it.”
“Pig! All of you are pigs,” Toplinsky blustered. “I meant, of course,for you to exercise some judgment.”
The giant turned the door knob and pushed. The door was fastenedtightly on the inside with a bolt but he heard a loud sputtering thatEpworth choked off quickly.
“Shut up!” Epworth roared. “I’ll choke the life out of you.”
“What are you doing to my comrade in there?” Toplinsky demanded. “I——”
“Just choking him a little,” Epworth responded amiably. “Of course youdo not mind a little thing like that. It hasn’t been two hours sinceyou left him in the storeroom to die. However, if he obeys me he willnot be hurt. I am only making a good fellow out of him.”
“Ah, ha, let it be so.” Toplinsky turned away. “He deserves somepunishment for falling into your hands.”
“Shall we leave our comrade in there without anything to eat?” Michaelasked innocently.
Toplinsky stopped short.
“We will have to feed them,” he replied thoughtfully. “I could notthink of leaving him there without food—or the girl either. As for thetwo Americans—well we cannot feed our comrade and the girl withoutfeeding them, so when the dinner hour arrives you may instruct thecook to bring them something to eat.”
Michael saluted and turned his face away to grin. Toplinsky strodeaway angrily. He would fix the two Americans, he promised himself—fixthem plenty—when he got to the moon. They were prisoners aboard theAerolite, and he would find some method of disposing of them if theyundertook to leave the ship.
He grinned slyly to himself.
But he would have to dispose of them carefully. It would not do tobreak his promise. No indeed. He must stand by his promises or his menwould go back on him. He couldn’t afford to allow this.
His method of eliminating that upstart Epworth must necessarily beunique. But he mentally promised himself that it would be certain.