ly slight variation will cover a return to the Dark
Moon. As we sweep out I can allow for the moon-motion, and we'll hit
it at a safe landing speed on the return trip this time."

* * * * *

Chet was paying little attention to his companion as he spoke. His
eyes, instead, were covertly watching the bulky figure of
Schwartzmann. As he finished, their captor shot a volley of questions
at the scientist beside him; he was checking up on the pilot's
remarks.

Chet was leaning forward to stare intently from a lookout, his head
was close to that of Harkness.

"Listen, Walt," he whispered; "the Moon's out of sight; it's easy to
lose. Maybe I can't find it again, anyway--it's going to take some
nice navigating--but I'll miss it by ten thousand miles if you say so,
and even the Herr Doktor can't check me on it."

Chet saw the eyes of Schwartzmann grow intent. He reached
ostentatiously for another book of tables, and he seated himself that
he might figure in comfort.

"Just check me on this," he told Harkness.

He put down meaningless figures, while the man beside him remained
silent. Over and over he wrote them--would Harkness never reach a
decision?--over and over, until--

"I don't agree with that," Harkness told him and reached for the
stylus in Chet's hand. And, while he appeared to make his own swift
computations, there were words instead of figures that flowed from his
pen.

"Only alternative: return to Earth," he wrote. "Then S will hold off;
wait in upper levels. Kreiss will give him new bearings. We'll shoot
out again and do it better next time. Kreiss is nobody's fool. S means
to maroon us on Moon--kill us perhaps. He'll get us there, sure. We
might as well go now."

* * * * *

Chet had seen a movement across the room. "Let's start all over
again," he broke in abruptly. He covered the writing with a clean
sheet of paper where he set down more figures. He was well under way
when Schwartzmann's quick strides brought him towering above them.
Again the detonite pistol was in evidence; its small black muzzle
moved steadily from Harkness to Chet.

"For your life--such as is left of it--you may thank Herr Doktor
Kreiss," he told Chet. "I thought at first you would have attempted to
kill us." His smile, as he regarded them, seemed to Chet to be
entirely evil. "You were near death twice, my dear Herr Bullard; and
the danger is not entirely removed.