The Princess of the Atom by Ray Cummings

"Drake! Wake up!"

I routed him out hastily. The signal was still showing. Drake remembered it, just as I did. We watched it; and after a moment it ceased. The wisp of smoke went up unbroken; and then presently it dissipated and vanished.

We stared at each other.

"You think it's Dianne? " I asked.

"Yes. It might be. " He was confused. "I don't know what to think, Frank. We must go there -- get over there quickly as we can -- see what it means."

"Yes," I agreed. "I wonder if our dory is down at the boathouse. You mean, row over? I don't think father will want to say anything at the village; get a launch? Do you?"

"No. " We both felt, as we knew father did, a reticence against taking the authorities into our confidence. If Dianne came -- to have an official investigation of her, with all the publicity -- it was unthinkable.

"Let's see about the dory," Drake suggested.

"Shall we wake father up?"

"Let's see about the dory first."

We found the dory safe in the boathouse.

We decided to start at once. A row of half an hour. We went to awaken father.

"Think he'll want to come with us, Drake?"

"He might -- I hope he'll stay here. This might just be a coincidence -- not Dianne. We should not all leave here at once, Frank."

"Why not?"

He stopped and faced me. "Because suppose she -- appeared while we were gone?"

Appeared? He said it with a queer hitch in his voice. As though Dianne might materialize from nothing into solidity before us! Yet we both felt like that. This whole affair seemed supernatural.

"Yes," I said. "That's true."

And father felt the same. He decided to stay on guard. He made us take two automatics, and a rifle in the bottom of the dory. He was refreshed from his sleep. Alert and vigorous.

"I'll be all right, lads. " He followed us down to the boathouse. He was white and grim as he said, "I need not tell you to be cautious. Come back quickly as you can."