ion that we used coming over. Give the necessary orders. But,"
he added slowly to himself, "the line will be shorter; there are fewer
of us now."

An astronomical officer laid a chart before the commander. "We are on
the course, sir," he reported.

"Full speed," Blake gave the order, and the thundering generator
answered from the stern. The Space Fleet of America was going home.

(_The End_)

_A meeting Place for Readers of_ Astounding Stories

[Illustration: _The Readers' Corner_]

_"Absurd" to "Superb"_

Dear Editor:

Unfortunately, I missed the January number of your very
excellent magazine, which I consider superior to any of its
type. I brought seven copies--February to August--with me on
my vacation, and have so far read the first three from cover
to cover.

The February and March numbers were almost above reproach,
but the April number contained two stories so surprisingly
poor that I can only conjecture the Editor was ill at that
time. They were "The Man who was Dead," by Thomas H. Knight
and "Monsters of Moyen," by Arthur J. Burks. For Mr. Knight
there is no hope. To him I can only say "Stop trying to
write and get a job." I am a rapid and omnivorous reader,
but never have I read a story so utterly bad as his. He gets
the booby prize.

Arthur J. Burks, although a master artist in comparison to
Knight, is pretty poor--terrible, in fact. His style is
dull, repetitious, and stilted. His melodrama is exaggerated
to the point of nauseating absurdity. His characters are
lifeless and unnatural puppets. So much for the faults.

Among the best Science Fiction stories I have read is "The
Planet of Dread," by R. F. Starzl in the August number. I
also very much enjoyed the "Dr. Bird" stories by Capt. Meek,
and indeed all the others, barring the two I criticized in
such a helpful, friendly spirit. Leinster and Cummings are
old favorites of mine.

I prefer your present cover but disagree with your attitude
towards reprinting the older works of such authors as George
Allen England, Serviss and Cummings, which are now
unobtainable and would, I believe, be received with pleasure
and applause.

Congratulations--Joseph S. Stull, 291 Barrington St.,
Rochester, N. Y.

P.S. Since I wrote I have read the May and June
numbers--both