When Mrs. Gregory and Captain Bradford were taken into the communication chamber on the fifth level of the Magic Island, they saw something almost unbelievable. From G-47's prism reflectors, they have actually seen the inside of a submarine many miles away, in which Jerry and Joan are being taken to witness the capture of Johnson's boat. The Euclideans have perfected television, as they have everything else, and Mrs. Gregory and the captain were forced to see and hear everything, as the submarine commander turned her ray guns on Joan and Jerry to silence them. The rays were only sleep-producing ones, however, and as we look into the submarine, we find Jerry and Joan just recovering from the effects. I told you, Jerry, not to talk so much. Well, anyway, we both got put to sleep with that ray gun, and I'm getting tired of falling over whenever one of these Euclideans feels like watching me take a tumble. Now, Jerry, please do not make remarks about the Euclideans. The Commander S-1 can hear all we say, and so can S-E-1, the engineer. You are only making it more difficult for us. You are right, Cleostra. I have found that you two are not entirely trustworthy, however, and must now take further precautions to ensure you're remaining quietly in the stern while I continue my observations here. What's she going to do with us now? Silence. You, Cleostra, will open the small cabinet on your left. You will sponge the hands and shoes of young Hall and yourself with the liquid from the cabinet. Hey, wait a minute. Do you know what that stuff is? Yes, Jerry. It is the magnetic paint, and once we have it on, we cannot move while the Commander keeps the magnets active in this section. Oh, so? My girlfriend the Commander is just as tough as anybody else from that crazy island. I warned you, Jerry. Commander S-1 is a Euclidean. Gee, a beautiful girl like that with just a number for a name. What a life. I wish you would not keep calling her a beautiful girl. Well, she is. I don't care if she is plenty tough with us. That don't spoil her looks any. She's a swell-looking girl. She is not a girl. She's terribly old, Jerry. Huh? How old? Twenty-two years. Gee, twenty-two. Is she really? Yes, Jerry. She was given this command on her twenty-first birthday. Nearly two years ago. Gosh, that lets her out then. Twenty-two is pretty old. I'm so glad to hear you say that, Jerry. Fifteen is a nice age, is it not? Yeah, it's all right. Kind of young, though. But by the time I'm twenty-one, you'll be twenty. That won't be so bad. Oh, but I guess we'd better quit talking about her. She can hear all we say, and she's liable to crack down on us again. No, Jerry. S-One has closed the transparent housing around the central control chamber. We're quite free to talk now. But we can see her just as plain as day. That is more of the transparent feel, and transparent from either side. S-One can see us as well as we see her. Then we'd better be careful not to make faces at her. Can't she tell us she switched on the microphones in this end of the sub, so she can hear what we're talking about? Yes, Jerry. That large green tube at her right will glow when the microphones are active, and the red tube when the transmitter is working. Boy, what a setup. And to think your mother and Tex really saw us and heard us way out here on this boat. They will be very worried about us, Jerry, if they were watching when the commander used the ray gun on us. Oh, don't worry so much. Your mother and Tex Bradford are a couple of the smartest people I ever saw. And if they saw us get laid out with those ray guns, you can bet they kept right on looking till they saw us wake up again. I hope you are right, Jerry. Hey, I'm always right. Pretty near. Yes, Jerry. Okay. Now let's quit jabbering about nothing and get down to brass tacks. Brass tacks? Oh, I mean let's get down to business. Talk about what we're going to try to do and how we're going to do it when we get to Johnson's boat. I think it will be quite useless to plan anything. We will just have to wait until the occasion arises, and then take the course which appears most suitable under the conditions existing at the moment. Boy, I got that one. We wait for the breaks and then jump in, huh? Jump in the breaks? Oh, you're getting in my hair. Look, and listen. I mean, we'll do what we think is best when we get a chance to do anything. I think it would be better to sit quietly and wait for the commander's orders. There is nothing of value that we can do, Jerry. Oh, don't be too sure about that. But one thing, you ought to know how they handle these subs. So, well, what will the commander do when we get near Johnson's boat? She will order Johnson to surrender. Oh, swell. But what then? Suppose Johnson does surrender. How do we get his boat to the island? If he refuses to run his boat to Eukadia, S1 will sink it with all on board. Oh, no, she won't. G-47 wants the scientific apparatus and Captain Bradford's materials on board that boat. You may be right, Jerry. G-47 wants those things badly, and the commander will make every effort to get the boat to Eukadia. But what if Johnson refuses to give up the boat? He will not refuse. Remember that you told him to come to the island when the commander made you send the message. Yeah, but I stuck a few words in that message so Johnson will know things aren't so good with us. And for the hauling pigeon, it's on his way to Johnson's boat. Johnson will have a lot of tricks figured out before we get to him. Any trick Johnson might try would only endanger our lives, Jerry. I am sure the commander will find a way to compel Johnson to bring the boat to the island through you. Me? Well, how can she do that? There are many ways. We shall see. Well, if I get a chance to talk to Johnson before we get too close to the island, I'll bet he'll figure some way to give old G-47 a headache. Enough of such nonsense. Gee, she heard us. The green tube is lighted. We were careless, Jerry. That is natural with worldly fools. You, Cleostra, should know that only Euclideans are perfect. Okay. We'll keep quiet, Commander. I wish you to come forward to the control section. You also, Cleostra. What do you suppose she wants now? We must go quickly and find out. All right. Take this transparent steel wall out of the way. I'm not so good at walking through steel walls. You are not good at anything. Particularly are your powers of observation not good? The wall has been removed. So it has, Jerry. Oh, golly whiskers. How could I tell? You could not, though an intelligent person would. Oh, thanks for the violets. Come on, Joan. Be very careful, Jerry, and do nothing to make S-1 angry. Oh, never mind. I mean, I know what I'm doing. You may sit there, Cleostra. Touch nothing and say nothing. You, Hall, will sit here. Right here? Yes, there. Well, here I am. What do I do now? Look at this chart. Our position is here. The position of Johnson's boat is there. Check those at once and assure me you agree with the position of Johnson as given in the last message we received from him. Right. I'll check it. Do not try to do anything except what you are told, Jerry. I got it. It's just where Johnson gave his last position. Good. We will now contact Johnson again and get his present position. If my indicators are correct as to the speed with which he is approaching us, he should be at latitude 27 degrees, 29 to 30 minutes south. Gee, how can you tell that? You will notice the needle swaying in this indicator. Yeah? This is recording the increase in volume of the exhaust of Johnson's motors as his boat nears us. His exact speed is the square root of the dial reading on that indicator, the result being in degrees per hour. Jumping catnip. This is sure slick. What do I do now? You will take over this microphone as before. On the red tube glow, raise Johnson and speak to him as if you were on the yacht at the island. Check his exact position. Well, do I go now? You may speak when this red tube glows. Remember your instructions. Reassure Johnson that all is well with your party, but that you need his boat to leave the island with, and ask for his exact position. Ready? Silence, Cleostra. I understand. J-24Y to J-12C. Jerry Hall on J-24Y to Johnson on J-12C. Hello, J-12. Hello, J-12C. J-12C. Hello, J-12. Jerry Hall on J-24Y for Bradford to Johnson. Hello, Jerry. Johnson on J-12C to Jerry Hall on J-24Y. Go ahead, J-24Y. Please check your exact speed and position and give me at once. We must be prepared for your exact time of arrival at island. How soon can I have exact position, your boat? Go ahead, J-12C. I am exactly 27 degrees, 30 minutes south, making 35 knots on course due south to island. Check island position back to me. Go ahead, J-24Y. Okay, J-12C. Your position, 27 degrees, 30 minutes south. You are making 35 knots. Island position, 29 degrees south. Does that check? Repeat of my position, okay. Position of island, okay. But cannot understand reception of your beam with strength in it. Where are you getting power for generator if yacht is crippled? Last message from you said yacht total wreck. Can you explain that, Hall? Can't explain now. Keep coming. We'll report to Bradford your position and speed. That is all, J-12C. That is all. Hold it, Hall. Your last message said the boson was ill. Reassure him all is well. Get that, Hall. Hey, what did you turn that generator off for? I wanted to hear what Johnson had to say about the boson. I realize that, but it will do you no good to hear more about it. Nor will it aid Johnson. Oh, is that so? Well, there's a couple of things you don't know. Silence. I am completing my calibration of Johnson's speed and position with relation to hours. He is making 35 knots, we 25. His position is 27.30, hours 28.15. We will be directly under Johnson's boat in exactly 45 minutes. You will be free to observe the meeting and the Euclidean method of handling such trifling details. Oh, you may not find it so trifling if Johnson's all set for you. Please be careful, Jerry. Say nothing. I won't have to say anything. Johnson will do all that. If you think you are going to surprise me because that homing pigeon you call the boson will arrive at Johnson's boat before we do, you underestimate my intelligence. Jerry, she knew about the pigeon. Naturally. And what can Johnson do with the message he will take from the pigeon? Why, uh, gee, I guess he can't do anything with it. Precisely. So you see, my young fool, in 45 minutes we will have Johnson, boat, pigeon, formula and all.
