"To-night," explained the king, again, "we shall mount to the upper crust and make a reconnoissance of this orb I am to subjugate."
"Have you any astronomical instruments?" asked Quinn.
"None whatever," replied the king. "Have you?"
"There is an instrument in the steel car which will bring the planet Terra much nearer to us than the naked eye could do."
"What is it? Describe the instrument to me and I will have it brought out for our night's work."
The professor described the telescope, and the king dispatched a messenger after Olox in hot haste, with supplementary orders. Thereupon the king bade us farewell and left the square, followed by his suite.
As I stood watching the royal party out of sight, I heard a gurgling groan behind me. Facing about I saw the professor reeling unsteadily; the next moment I had caught him in my arms and saved him a fall.
CHAPTER XIV.
PLAN TO STEAL A BUILDING.
Professor Quinn did not become unconscious. The frightful catastrophe that threatened Terra had preyed upon him at the expense of his strength. Easing him to the ground, I dropped beside him and held his head on my knee.