"Everything is all right now," I said. "Just keep on north by this compass. You won't need the directional compass."

I might have added that in a very short time they wouldn't need any compass as far as navigating this ship was concerned. Then I went down to my cabin.

"I knew that something would happen pretty soon, and sure enough it did. I could see from my porthole that we were losing altitude-just dropping slowly lower and lower-and directly another warrior came to my cabin and said that I was wanted in the control room again.

"Once more Hin Abtol was there. "We are sinking," he told me-a fact that was too obvious to need mention.

"I have noticed that for some time," I said.

"Well, do something about it!" he snapped. "You know all about this ship."

"I should think that a man who is thinking of conquering all of Barsoom ought to be able to fly a ship without the help of a woman," I said.

"He flushed at that, and then he drew his sword. "You will tell us what is wrong," he growled, "Or I'll split you open from your crown to your belly."

"Always the chivalrous gentleman," I sneered; "but, even without your threat, I'll tell you what is wrong."

"Well, what is it?" he demanded.

"In fiddling around with these controls, either you or some equally stupid brute has opened the buoyancy tank valves. All you have to do is close them. We won't sink any lower then, but we'll never go any higher, either. I hope there are no mountains or very high hills between here and Panar.

"Where are the valves?" he asked.

"I showed him.

"They tried to close them; but I had made such a good job of jamming them that they couldn't, and we kept right on dropping down toward the ocher vegetation of a dead sea bottom.

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