Man: “There’s no one around to hear. I tell you, Mabel, this is the most perfect setup anyone ever dreamed of. Once we take over, with Duke Stefan acting as front for us, we’ll really cut loose. Did you ever stop to think what you could do if you owned your own country?”

Woman: “Gambling, you said. We’ll make this country bigger than Monte Carlo for that.”

Man: “Yes. Then there’s banking. We’ll offer safe banking privileges for people in the States who want to hide money where the government can’t find it. But that’s only the beginning. We’ll repeal all extradition laws. That means other governments won’t be able to arrest criminals who take refuge here. Anybody wanted for anything anywhere in the world will be safe here — as long as he can pay our price. Varania will be heaven for crooks on the run.”

Woman: “It sounds perfect. But what if Duke Stefan doesn’t go along with our plans?”

Man: “He has to, if he wants to stay in power. We’ve got the goods on him. Oh, I tell you, Varania is a sweet, juicy pear and all we have to do is pick it.”

Woman: “Sssh! Here they come back.”

The tape went dead. Jupiter casually turned the camera around, in doing so switching off the tape and rewinding it.

“Golly!” Pete said. “It’s as bad as Bert Young feared. Worse! They plan to turn this whole country into a crooks’ paradise.”

“We’ve got to tell Bert Young!” Bob exclaimed.

Jupiter frowned. “I think we should,” he said. “I’d like to play him the whole tape, but that would take too long. Someone might notice. We’ll give him the gist of it, though.”

He picked up the camera and pretended to be changing the film. He switched on the transmitting lever and spoke softly.

“First reporting,” he said. “Can you read me?”

“Loud and clear,” Bert Young’s voice came back. “New developments?”

Jupiter told him what had happened, as briefly as he could.