about
drifting then. I think it is safe to say seven hours blind."

"But can't they detect us anyway? They may have sent out a call, you
know."

"If we aren't using any power for anything, their electr-omagnetics are
the only things we'll register on, and they're mighty short-range
finders. Even if they should get that close to us, they'll probably
think we're meteoric, since we'll be dead to their other instruments.
Luckily we've got lots of air, so the chemical purifiers can handle it
without power. I'll shut off everything and we'll drift it. Couldn't do
much of anything, anyway--even our shop out there won't hold air. But we
can have light. We've got acetylene emergency lamps, you know, and we
don't need to economize on oxygen."

"Perhaps we'd better run in the dark. Remember what you told me about
their possible visirays, and that you've got only two bombs left."

"All x; that would be better. If I forget it, remind me to blow up those
before we hit the atmosphere of Ganymede, will you?" He opened all the
power switches, and, every source of ethereal vibrations cut off, the
_Forlorn Hope_ drifted slowly on, now appearing forlorn indeed.

* * * * *

Seven hours dragged past: seven age-long hours during which the two sat
tense, expecting they knew not what, talking only at intervals and in
subdued tones. Stevens then snapped on the communicator beam just long
enough to take an observation upon Ganymede. Several such brief glimpses
were taken; then, after a warning word to his companion, he sent out and
exploded the nitrogen bombs. He then threw on the power, and the vessel
leaped toward the satellite under full acceleration. Close to the
atmosphere it slanted downward in a screaming, fifteen-hundred-mile
drive; and soon the mangled wedge dropped down into the little canyon,
which for so long had been "home."

"Well, colonel, home again!" Stevens exulted as he neutralized the
controls. "There's that falls, our power plant, the catapults, 'n'
everything. Now, unless something interrupts us again; we'll run up
our radio tower and give Brandon the long yell."

"How much more have you got to do before you can start sending?"

"Not an awful lot. Everything built--all I've got to do is assemble
it. I should be able to do it easily in a week. Hope nothing else
happens--if I drag you into any more such messes as those we've just
been getting out of by the skin of our teeth, I'll begin