rison. No one could get out.

And outside, the skulking Martian had disappeared. But Wilks and
Haljan were still fighting. Grantline could see the two figures up on
the observatory platform. They bounded apart, then together again.
Crazily swaying--bouncing--striking the rail.

* * * * *

They went together in a great leap off the platform onto the rocks,
and rolled in a bright patch of Earthlight. First one on top, then the
other, they rolled, unheeding, to the brink. Here, beyond the midway
ledge which held the camp, it was a sheer drop of a thousand feet, on
down to the crater-floor.

The figures were rolling: then one shook himself loose, rose up,
seized the other and, with a desperate lunge, shoved him--

The victorious figure drew back to safety. The other fell, hurtling
down into the shadows past the camp-level--down out of sight in the
darkness of the crater-floor.

Snap, who was in the group near Grantline at the windows, gasped.

"God! Was that Gregg Haljan who fell?"

No one could say. No one answered. Outside, on the camp-ledge, another
helmeted figure now became visible. It was not far from the main
building when Grantline first noticed it. It was running fast,
bounding toward the spider-staircase. It began mounting.

And now still another figure became visible--the giant Martian again.
He appeared from around the corner of the main Grantline building. He
evidently saw the winner of the combat on the cliff, who now was
standing in the Earthlight, gazing down. And he saw, too, no doubt,
the second figure mounting the stairs. He stood quite near the window
through which Grantline and his men were gazing, with his back to the
building, looking up to the summit. Then he ran with tremendous leaps
toward the ascending staircase.

Was it Haljan standing up there on the summit? Who was it climbing the
staircase? And was the third figure Miko?

Grantline's mind framed the questions. But his attention was torn from
them, and torn even from the swift silent drama outside. The corridor
was ringing with shouts.

"We're imprisoned! Can't get out! Was Haljan killed? The brigands are
outside!"

And then an interior audiphone blared a call for Grantline. Someone in
the instrument room of the adjoining building was talking:

"Commander, I tried the telescope to see who got killed--"

But he did not say who got killed, for he had greater news.

"Commander! The brigand ship!"