"The cursed Earth Police!” flared Gunner Welk in a hoarse whisper. “We overlooked some of their spy-plates."
Thom's eyes were black pinpoints, his brown face taut. He knew the Mercurian was right, that they had been glimpsed by some of the hidden visiplates planted cunningly throughout the metropolis for the benefit of the police.
"I'm all right, Ames!” called the Chairman to his secretary. “Tell the police not to bother me."
But in the next moment came a loud cry from a police officer outside the shuttered windows.
" The Planeteers are in there with the Chairman!" the man shouted. “Their tracks lead to the window-they must be making him say he's all right!"
"Break down the door!” roared another officer's voice. “Quick, before they kill the Chairman!"
A resounding battering began against the locked door and another banging at the metal shutter that closed the window.
The Chairman looked helplessly at Thorn. “I'll have to tell them the truth, that you Planeteers are really my agents, or they'll haul you off to prison,"
"No!” said John Thorn fiercely. “Once the secret that we're Alliance agents gets out, it would spread swiftly over the whole system. Our chance of getting the secret of Erebus from that pirate girl would be wrecked — our whole plan ruined."
"But you can't escape from here the Chairman exclaimed. “They're at both window and door!"