abundant stores and each
ate a heartier meal than either would have believed possible. Stevens
considered his unopened package of cigarettes, then regretfully put it
back into his pocket still unopened and turned to Nadia.

"Well, little fellow, it's time to shove off, and then some. You might
as well sleep here, and I'll go in there. If anything scares you, yell.
Good-night, old trapper!"

"Wait a minute, Steve." Nadia flushed, and her brown eyes and black
eyebrows, in comparison with her golden-blond hair, lent her face a
quizzical, elfin expression that far belied her feelings as she stared
straight into his eyes. "I've never even been away from the Earth
before, and with all this happening I'm simply scared to death. I've
been trying to hide it, but I couldn't stand it alone, and we're going
to be together too long and too close for senseless conventions to
affect us. There's two bunks over there--why don't you sleep in one
of them?"

He returned her steadfast gaze for a moment in silence.

"All x with me, Nadia," he answered, keeping out of his voice all
signs of the tenderness he felt for her, and of his very real admiration
for her straightforward conduct in a terrifying situation. "You trust
me, then?"

"_Trust_ you! Don't be silly--I know you! I know you, and I know Brandon
and Westfall--I know what you've done, and exactly the kind of men you
are. _Trust_ you!"

"Thanks, old golf-shootist," and promises were made and received
in a clasp from which Nadia's right hand, strong as it was, emerged
slightly damaged.

"By the way, what is your first name, fellow-traveller?" she asked in
lighter vein. "Nobody, not even Dad or Breckie, ever seems to call you
anything but 'Steve' when they talk about you." She was amazed at the
effect of her innocent question, for Stevens flushed to his hair and
spluttered.

"It's _Percy_!" He finally, snorted. "Percival Van Schravendyck Stevens.
Wouldn't that tear it?"

"Why, I think Percival's a real nice name!"

"Silence!" he hissed in burlesque style. "Young woman, I have revealed
to you a secret known to but few living creatures. On your life, keep
it inviolate!"

"Oh, very well, if you insist. Good-night--Steve!" and she gave him a
radiant and honest smile: the first smile he had seen since the moment
of the attack.

CHAPTER III

Castaways Upon Ganymede

Upon awakening, the man's first care was to instruct the girl in the
operation of the projectors,