"Now," said Alan. "Try it."
With Nanette's cloak again, Lea and San tried the instrument. Almost at once results came. The screen showed an image. A starlit night. A forest glade. Turber's aero lay glistening in the starlight. Figures were moving about the glade. Strangely garbed, burly figures of men; and a group of half-naked, feathered savages stood near by, upon the shore of a river. A canoe lay there. To one side, a camp fire showed its dull yellow light through the forest underbrush.
There was an air of inactivity about the scene. Turber came presently and stood in the cabin doorway of the aero. His familiar hunched figure, with the starlight on him and a yellow-red glow from the camp fire. Turber, waiting here for something!
The dial marked 1664 A.D. Powl was trembling with eagerness. Lea and San snapped off the instrument. San had recognized the location of the scene. It was the Hudson River shore of Manhattan Island, no more than a mile from the tower-space. Powl said hurriedly: "San has the exact reading—the year, month and day. Turber will not expect you, that night there in the forest. If you can creep up on him with your revolver—"
It might be possible, in the gloom of the forest, to get up to the aero unobserved.
They made a few hurried preparations. San and Lea would not be able to talk with Alan; they made their plans now, with Powl for interpreter. Back at the tower, Powl stood by its steps.
"Good-by. Do your best." He gripped Alan's hand.
The tower door closed upon Alan, Lea and San. A moment, and they had started. The room reeled, but this time Alan was prepared for it. He recovered in a moment. He stood by Lea and smiled. He said: "Not so bad this time."
"No," said Lea. "All right."
There was a sound in the humming, vibrating room. A rustling behind them. From a shadowed corner a figure rose up.