me.

"Yes."

"Commander Potan tells me you were chief navigator of the
_Planetara_?"

"Yes."

"You shall pilot us when we advance upon the Grantline camp. I am
control-commander here--Brotow, my name."

He smiled. A giant fellow, but spindly. He spoke good English. He
seemed anxious to be friendly.

"We are glad to have you and George Prince's sister with us." He shot
Anita an admiring glance. "I will show you our controls, Haljan."

"All right," I said. "Whatever I can do to help...."

"But not now. It will be some hours before we are ready."

I nodded, and he wandered away. Anita whispered:

"Did he mean that signal room up here in the tower? Oh, Gregg, maybe
it's only the ship's control room!"

"I don't know. But the projector range-finders are up there, and I
think it's the signal room."

"Suppose we go up and see? Gregg, Miko's signals might start any
minute."

* * * * *

And the electronic projector now seemed about ready. It was time for
me to act. But a reluctant instinct was upon me. Our Erentz suits were
here close behind us in Potan's cubby. I hated to leave them: if
anything happened and we had to make a sudden dash, there would be no
time to garb ourselves in the suits. To adjust the helmets was bad
enough.

I whispered swiftly, "We must get into our suits--find some pretext."
I drew her back through the cubby doorway where we would be more
secluded.

"Anita, listen: I've been a fool not to plan our escape more
carefully! We're in too great a danger here."

It seemed to me suddenly that we were in desperate plight. Was it
premonition?

"Anita, listen: if anything happens and we have to make a dash--"

"Up through that dome-lock, Gregg? It's a manual control; you can see
the levers."

"Yes. It's a manual. But up there--how would we get down?"

She was far calmer than I. "There may be an outside ladder, Gregg."

"I don't think so. I haven't seen it."

"Then we can get out the way they brought us in. The hull-porte--it's
a manual, too."

"Yes, I think I can find our way down through the hull corridors. I
mean, for a quick run. If we have to run, you stay close behind me.
I've this bullet projector, and evidently there aren't many men in the
lower corridors."

"There are guards outside on the rocks."

We had seen them through the dome windows. But there were not
many--only two or three. A surprise rush at them would turn the trick.

*