The magic island of Euclidia is rising from the sea. Not so long ago, the Euclideans submerged the island, taking it down to the bottom of the old volcanic crater and making everyone believe it had been destroyed. Now the island is coming out of the water again. This brings a very real danger to Captain Tex Bradford and Elaine Raleigh, who are attempting to imprison the Euclideans in their underwater city. When the island is above water, G-47 and his men will have more openings for escape than Tex and Elaine can watch. How's it look to you now, Elaine? The island is rising very slowly, but the tops of the defense chambers are showing above water. At that rate, we'll have a couple of minutes to work in. And what can we accomplish? I'm not any too sure, but we've got to do our best to keep those fellows from getting loose. You have only one charge of your solvent left, is that correct? That's right, only one. Then that may be used to guard only one exit. And when that island is above water, there are at least eight openings through which the Euclideans may escape. I know it, but we'll have to run a bluff of some kind. I do not understand fully what you mean by bluffing, but this is a time to be sure of what you are doing. Yes, if you can be sure, but when you can't, bluff. Then bluff quickly. The island is rising. Have we got enough compressed air to tax this around to the other side of the island? I think not. It's our only hope. I will try to cross the island. That is much shorter. Well, sure it is. But if the island comes up before we get across, what then? Our position will be no worse than it is now. You're right, Elaine. All right, give it all you've got. The jets are wide open. The air supply is diminishing very rapidly. We're getting across the island too. Hey, look out. I will not strike that defense chamber. They can't open the doors and those things until the island is completely above water, can they? Not without flooding the entire lower level of the island. Good. Now when we get to the other side, same, we're scraping on the surface of the island. It will be a very narrow margin, Captain, but I believe we will be over the side of the island before we are held by touching it. Let's hope you're right. We made it. So I believe. Now cut your rudders around hard. We've got to get right back besides that elevator housing before we lose headway. It will take only a few seconds to complete our circle. Things coming out of the water might be fast now. What is your plan, Captain? Now look, we'll want to stand by as near the elevator housing as possible. Near enough that I can reach out and break those bottles of solvent against the elevator door. I see. And that will allow your solvent to eat down through the surface of the island and the ocean will flood into that elevator shaft. Right. And if I remember the layout of this island, they can't shut off that water before it reaches the power rooms and puts the whole island out of commission. That is correct, Captain. Water going into this shaft will flood the entire island, forcing anyone within it to take refuge in the main city of Euclidia. That's what we're going to try to do, Elaine, and that's our only chance. When one of those doors opens, we'll warn whoever comes out that if they attack us or attempt to advance towards us, I'll break these bottles over the elevator housing and the solvent will eat its way into the island in five seconds. An excellent plan, Captain. With the Euclideans driven back into the main city, we will have only the surface airlock to watch. Right. And we're going to have to do something pretty soon. Looks as if that island is about on top. It is now in position. Any moment we may expect to see a door open in one of the surface chambers. Well, I'll hold onto the side of this pier with one hand and hold the solvent in the other. Is there no way in which I could help you, Captain? Afraid not. There's not much room in these little doorways. Look. The central control chamber. Yeah. The door is opening. One of the Euclideans is coming out on the surface. Well, I'll stop that. That's all for you. Don't come any nearer. And what will you do if I advance upon you? I'll break these bottles of my solvent against this elevator housing. I'll flood your island. That would be very foolish, Captain Bradford. Well, that's what I'll do. Try to find out what Thales has in mind. Suppose I break this bottle now. What will you do? Do you not see the large ray gun protruding through the wall of this chamber at my side? I'm not afraid of your ray guns. You ought to know that those rays won't penetrate one of your own boats. This ray will. We will use the metallic ray on you. What's a metallic ray, Elaine? It will melt the metal of this plane as if it were wax. Well, Thales, looks just like we stand here and look at each other for a while. You will lower your solvent carefully into the water and release it? I will not. Then we will turn the ray on your plane. Go to it. And when you do, I'll break those bottles on the elevator shaft. If we sink, we'll take this island with us. It will mean your life. And without us on the surface to open these locks for you, it would mean the life of everyone on Euclidean. Thales seems to be uncertain. I thought that might stop him for a minute. Yes. He's going inside the chamber and closing the door. That gives us a little breathing spell. Your position is most uncomfortable leaning far out the door with your arms extended. My arms are getting a little numb. Why not use this respite to relax for a moment? Place the solvent on the floor of the plane. Afraid to. I'll bet you they're watching us right now. And the minute I take my arms in, they'll blow this plane to pieces with the metal ray. Yes. That is quite likely. However, you cannot maintain that position indefinitely. Maybe not, but I can get out into the water and hold these things here a long time. And when I get tired, you can get out and hold them. Even so, that will give us only a few hours. It is well afternoon now. In a few hours it will be dark. Then the Euclideans can attack us easily. I know it, but I want those few hours. Now, if you'll hang onto that arm so I don't bump those bottles against the island, I'll slip out into the water. Very well, Captain. Easy now. Don't bump those things together. I will be careful. There we are. Now I'll keep floating here where I can support myself on the plane. We'll hold out until night at least. The Clisher Gregory calling those people in. Yes, sir. I'll go and get them. Yes, sir. I'll go and get them. Yes, sir. I'll go and get them. The Clisher Gregory calling the plane. Gregory boat to Captain Bradford. Hello, Tex. Hello, Tex. Can you hear me? Gee, Mrs. Gregory, you can't raise them at all now. No, Jerry, I can't raise them at all. Joan and I went in and tried that little portable set in the captain's cabin. We thought maybe this set wasn't working just right. Yes, I know what you and Joan did, Jerry. And even though it didn't fool me, thanks a lot for a grand gesture. Huh? Now, Jerry. Honest, I don't know what you're talking about, Mrs. Gregory. You don't remember having Joan use that portable transmitter, call me here, pretend to be Elaine, and tell me that all was well? Oh, oh, I'm sorry. I guess we didn't do so well. It wasn't your fault, Jerry. Joan couldn't conceal the Euclidean training in her voice. Elaine has moved more often in the world, and she speaks as we do with very little effort. Yeah, I should have thought of that. We all could have thought of a lot of things, Jerry. And like yourself, we thought of them too late. Oh, now, Mrs. Gregory. I know what you're going to say, Jerry. And it's fine of you not to blame me for this. But after all, I started the whole thing looking for Joan, and I gave my permission for Tex and Elaine to attempt this wild flight. But gee, Mrs. Gregory, we don't know for sure that anything's happened to them. Possibly not. But it's nearly dinner time, and in a few minutes it'll be dark. And we haven't had a word from them since early morning. They said the island was being razed again. And that would mean Tex and Elaine captured, or worse. Well, they wouldn't hurt Tex any more than they'd hurt any of us. But this time it's different, Jerry. They'll have Tex's formula. There won't be any further reason for them to treat us kindly. Well, quit worrying about it for a little while. I'm sorry, Jerry, but I can't take it as calmly as you do. Well, that's what I mean. Be calm, like me. You don't realize that you've twisted all the buttons off your shirt. Huh? Well, how did I do that? Oh, just sitting there calmly, twisting the buttons. Yeah? Well, I'm not doing any better than you are. Have you received any word yet? Come in and close the door, John, dear. Yes, mother. You look very worried. What has happened? Nothing. Plenty of it. That's just the trouble, John. Nothing has happened. What have you been doing? I have been in the pilot house with Mr. Johnson. He says we have made unusually good time. Good time? It seems to me that we've been crawling. I do not understand just what has happened. But Mr. McCloud, the engineer who has done something to the motors, and we have been going much faster than is safe for this boat. Good old man. Yeah, the boat holds together. The motors are making a terrible noise, and I suppose it isn't doing the boat any good. But if we can arrive there by noon tomorrow, well, we may be in time to do some good. Mr. Johnson says we will arrive at the position of Euclidia at daylight. Daylight? Well, Joan, that isn't possible. I thought not, but we are within a few hours' run of the island. Oh, if Tex could only know that. It's getting dark, and they'll be in some terrible position there with darkness coming on, and Tex will be figuring that we're 18 hours away. Daylight's only 12 hours away. Mr. Johnson said we would arrive in 12 to 13 hours. Those six hours would mean a lot to Tex if he's waiting for us. If he's waiting for us, you know he's waiting for us. No, Joan, I can only hope that he's still waiting. Now, Mother, that feeling will not help. Oh, I'm sorry. You're both so cheerful, and it all seems so hopeless. We could try him again on the radio if you want to. Yes, Mother, we will try again. Very well. But we've been trying for hours. Maybe they're just too busy to answer us, or maybe their radio's too weak, or maybe they've gone on to the island to capture it. Or maybe a great many other things. But you don't believe it any more than I do. Oh, all right. I'm scared about what's happened to them, but let's try the radio anyway. We may as well. Patricia Gregory to Captain Bradford. Gregory Boat calling Bradford. Hello, Tex. Pat calling. Hello, Tex. Can you hear me? We are within 12 hours of you. Can you hear me? We will be there in 12 hours. Hello, Tex. Hello, Tex. Oh, it's no good. Sure doesn't seem to be, but... Well, let's keep the receiver open anyhow. Oh, do as you like, Jerry. I'm going out and walk around the deck. Do you wish me to come with you, Mother? No, Joan, dear. I want to walk quietly, all alone. I'll feel nearer to Tex, outdoors. He's outdoors too. Gee, Joan. Your mother's sure down in the dumps, isn't she? I do not understand down in the dumps, Jerry. I mean, she's feeling bad. Her mother is very hopeless. Well, I feel the same way, but I thought if we act cheerfully, it might make it a little easier for her. Our radio message from the other cabin did not deceive her, did it? Not for a minute. I thought it would not. If only we knew what Tex was going to do. Jerry, the radio. Standing. Island. Guard. Sinking. Hurry. Few hours. We'll sink. Gregory. Hurry. Bradford. Sinking. Hurry. Oh, Jerry, that was Elaine. Yeah, and she and the captain are in trouble. Serious trouble. They are sinking. Maybe they meant the island. No, Jerry, their plane is sinking. Elaine said hurry. Well, look here, Joan. No matter what happens, don't tell your mother. But Jerry, she... No, Joan, not a word to her. We'll tell Johnson, the skipper, and the engineer, and they'll break this boat trying to get up to there. But it won't help her to worry your mother anymore. And maybe we'll be in time. Elaine said sinking. She didn't say sunk. And there's plenty of hope for some good luck between sinking and sunk.
