ared off for another run.

They catapulted to safety as the cruiser flamed past, the exhaust
splashing over the metal and sending sparks into the cave.

Rip looked out. That, if he had guessed right, was the last run. He
watched the Connie's stern jet cut off, saw the nose exhaust as the
cruiser decelerated to a fast stop.

"Check your weapons," he ordered.

He pulled his pistol from the knee pocket and checked it carefully. There
was a clip in the magazine. Other clips were in his pocket. The clips were
loaded with high velocity shells that exploded on contact. One slug could
stop a Venusian _krel_, a mammoth beast that had been described as a cross
between a sea lion and a cactus plant.

His knife was in place in the other knee pocket.

The Connie cruiser decelerated, went into reverse, and came to a full stop
about a mile from the asteroid. The Planeteers saw fire in two places
along the hull, marking the exhausts of two small craft.

"Snapper-boats," Koa said tonelessly. "Five men in each, if those are the
regular Connie kind."

Rip made a quick decision. With only one launcher they couldn't guard the
whole asteroid. "We'll stay under cover, except for Santos and Pederson.
You two sneak out. Take advantage of every bit of cover you can find. I
don't want you spotted. When a boat lands, report its position. The
Connies operate on different communicator frequencies, so they won't
overhear. Well let them think they've burned the asteroid clean."

He paused. "They'll search for a while. Then, when they're pretty well
satisfied that all is quiet, we'll show up." Rip grinned at his
Planeteers. "We can have a real, old-fashioned surprise party."

Koa slid the safety catch from his pistol. "With fireworks," he added.

CHAPTER NINE - REPEL INVADERS!

The snapper-boats came out of the darkness of space, leaving a glowing
trail of fire. They were not graceful. Rip could see no beauty in their
lines, but to his professional eye there was plenty of deadly efficiency.

The Connie fighting craft looked like three globes strung evenly on a
steel tube. The middle globe was larger than the end ones, and it was
transparent. From it projected the barrels of two kinds of
weapons--explosive and ultrasonic. Five men usually rode in the middle
ball. One piloted. The other four were gunners.

The end globes were pierced by five large holes. They were blast holes for
the rocket exhaust. Unlike the landing boats, each