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all.”
    Steve realized vaguely that none of this could be real. He couldn’t be thousands of feet deep within the walls of Azul Island, listening to these men argue as they might have done in any living room! It couldn’t be happening,
and yet it was
.
    Finally Jay turned to him again. “I suppose old Flick is right in a way, Steve. Maybe you’d better just accept our being here. It’ll be easier on you. Of course you know about our ship, having seen it. Unfortunately, it takes us a little while to cool down after a long voyage … friction, you know. But we never dreamed anyone would be at this remote spot to see us come in.”
    They were talking about the golden mass of light, only it was more than light. It was their ship and it was still there, above that small grayish-white patch, without being visible!
    Sudden alarm passed through Steve like an electric shock, shattering the numbness that had brought immobility to his legs. He moved them now, seeking to turn and run.
    But their hands caught him quickly, keeping him still, and he knew he could not get away, that all hope of escape was lost.
    Flick said casually, “So little has missed Steve’s attention. Really, it’s most remarkable. He’s even seen the cruisers.”
    “So he has,” Jay returned. “But I don’t think it matters. Steve has as much to conceal as we do. He’s a very unusual person.”
    As Steve listened, there flashed through his mind all he had read about the frightening, secret weapons of war that were being developed and tested by countries throughout the world. Was this ship one of them? Were those needle-shaped objects he’d seen even now bent on the destruction of distant cities? This was very real and
deadly
!
    “Look at us, Steve,” Jay said.
    Only then did Steve realize that Jay and Flick had been silent for many minutes. He made a great effort to focus his eyes upon them, to see them as they actually were. He
had
to know the answers to his questions.
    They were looking at him, but neither spoke. Their features had become so blurred it was difficult for Steve to make them out. He tried to blink to clear his vision, but found he could not move his eyelids. The two faces grew more and more indistinct until they were blotted out completely. Only the shimmering light of their eyes remained and that shone brighter and brighter, seemingly enveloping him in an intense heat.
    Steve knew that he could not fight this growing inner warmth, that all he could do was to welcome it. Stronger and stronger it became, flooding his body and very being till there was no room left for fear or suspicion. He felt only a deep sense of comfort and confidence and trust.
    How long it was before he could see their faces again, he could not have told. But suddenly he was asking himself how anyone could look at these two men and think anything but good of them. Flick was smiling, pleased and happy that Steve trusted them completely,that he now felt confident no one, no country, had anything to fear from them. Jay, too, was smiling, even chuckling.
    “
Now
, Steve,” Flick said softly, “I was wondering when you and Pitch first found this place.”
    “Pitch! Do you know Pitch?” Steve asked aloud, surprised at their mentioning his friend’s name, surprised even more that his words came so easily.
    “Oh, no,” Flick answered hastily, “… just a little
of
him.” He glanced at Jay with fleeting concern.
    “Who told you about him?” Steve asked.
    “Well … well,
you
did, Steve.” Flick turned to Jay helplessly.
    “There you go getting yourself into a jam,” Jay said, “and wanting me to get you out of it. I told you before that if you start something with Steve you must finish it. You just can’t let it hang in the air. He won’t have it.”
    “He’s only a boy,” Flick answered defiantly.
    “Of course, and that’s exactly what I mean, Flick. We’re not dealing with a closed, inflexible, adult mind here. Young people
are
different,