the brigands. Snap
had rushed to completion the first of our contemplated flying
platforms. Then he had seen Miko's signals from the crater-base, seen
the lights of the fight to capture Anita and me in the cubby, and had
come to rescue us.

Back at the camp we were given food, and Grantline forced me to try
and sleep.

"They'll be on us in a few hours, Gregg. Miko will have joined them by
now. He'll lead them to us. You must rest, for we need everyone at his
best."

And surprisingly, in the midst of the camp's turmoil of last minute
activities, I slept soundly, until Snap called me that the ship was
coming.

The corridor echoed with the tramp of Grantline's busy crew. But there
was no confusion now; a grim calmness had settled upon everyone.

Anita and Venra rushed up to join us. "It's in sight!"

* * * * *

There was no need of going to the instrument room. From the windows
fronting the brink of the cliff the brigand ship was plainly visible.
It came sailing from Archimedes, a dark shape blurring the stars. All
its lights were extinguished save a single white search-beam in the
bow-peak, slanting diagonally down.

The beam presently caught our little group of buildings; its glare
shone in the windows as it clung for a moment. I could envisage the
triumphant curiosity, of Potan and his fellows up there, gazing along
the beam.

Then it swung away. The ship was at an altitude of no more than three
thousand feet when I first saw it, coming upon a level keel. Would it
circle over us, firing at us? Or sail past, after inspecting us? Or
land, perhaps, boldly crowded upon our little ledge?

We were ready--as ready as we could be with our meager equipment. The
camp was in a state of siege. The cliff-lights were extinguished: the
interior lights were dim, save in the workshops of the main building,
where the final assembling of Snap's other flying platforms and their
insulated protective shields was still in progress.

We had dimmed the lights to conserve our power, and to enable the
Erentz motors to run at full capacity. Our buildings would have to
withstand the brigand rays which soon would be upon us.

Outside on our dim, Earthlit cliff, the tiny lights showed where our
few guards were lurking. As I stood at the window watching the
oncoming ship, Grantline's voice sounded:

"Call in those men! Ring the call-lights, Franck!"

The siren buzzed over the camp's interior; the warni