trunk of the animal raise toward the sky, and let go with a trumpeting that rattled the windows. Biff had to smile at himself. What was an elephant doing wandering around loose at that time of the morning? “Some difference from home,” he thought.

Biff dressed quickly. He hurried down the hallway toward the center of Headquarters House. Sounds of activity came from the communications center. He paused in the doorway. Jack Hudson and two other men were bunched together around a short-wave receiver. Static crackled throughout the room. One of the men picked up a hand microphone.

“This is H H One, calling. This is Happy Harry One calling X 0369. Come in X 0369. Repeat: Come in X 0369. We were beginning to read you. Acknowledge. Do you read us?”

His answer was a roar of static.

Jack Hudson shook his head. His concern and the intense looks on the faces of the other men told Biff they were troubled.

“Was it Keene, Mike?” Jack demanded. “Was it Charlie?”

Biff heard Jack’s question, and he felt a sudden pang of fear.

The radio operator, Mike Dawson, shook his head. “I can’t say for sure. I think it must have been. But the voice was so faint. And the static—”

“Could you make out anything? Any of the words?” Jack’s voice was insistent.

Mike shook his head worriedly. “The sender didn’t identify. I did think I caught some of the words, but I can’t say for sure—”

“Well, what were they, man? What were they?”

“I—I thought he said, ‘They’re coming for me.... My position is lati—’ And right then transmission broke off completely. That’s when I buzzed your rooms. I’ve been working this mike ever since. And getting nothing. But nothing.”

Biff stepped into the room. He crossed to the three men.

“Was that my uncle you were talking about?”

Mike and the other man looked at Jack Hudson. It was obvious that they wouldn’t speak unless he gave them the go-ahead. Jack looked at Biff. He didn’t reply at once. Then, having reached his decision, he answered.

“Yes, Biff. I’m afraid it was.”

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