anning, he'll be dressed like you, or me, and that will end
the situation right there. Later, we can dump Corbett out in a space
suit with a little oxygen, and write a note, sticking it in his glove.
When they find him, they'll think he got away from Quent Miles, and when
his oxygen gave out, wrote the note giving all the details. And who can
say No, since Quent Miles, as such, will be dead?"

"End to the affair!" shouted Quent. "That's perfect."

The audioceiver behind them crackled into life, and there was a clear,
piercing signal, a sign that an emergency transmission was taking over
all channels. The signal continued until the clear, strong voice of
Commander Walters flooded the control deck of the ship.

"Attention! Attention! This is Commander Walters of the Solar Guard!
Attention all Solar Guard units in space quadrants one through
seven--repeat, all ships in quadrants one through seven. This is
emergency alert for the rocket ship _Space Knight_, believed to be
heading for the asteroid belt. All ships are to institute an immediate
search of quadrants one through seven for the _Space Knight_ and arrest
any and all persons aboard. Repeat. All ships...."

Ross Miles rose up and snapped off the audioceiver. "Come on. We've got
to get out of here!"

"What about them?" asked Quent, pointing to Roger and Tom. "Will we have
time to--?"

"Plenty of time," said Ross coldly. "Blast 'em now."

"With pleasure," replied Quent Miles, taking his gun from his holster.

"Jump, Roger!" shouted Tom.

Both boys threw themselves sideways as Miles leveled his gun.

Tom plunged headlong through the hatch door and scrambled down the
ladder. Roger tried to follow, but Quent fired as Roger started to jump
feet first through the hatch. His body became rigid as he tumbled
through the hatch. Tom looked up just in time to break his unit mate's
fall, but seeing that it would be useless to stay with him, left him on
the deck and turned to flee through the depths of the black ship.

CHAPTER 19

"Never mind, Manning!" shouted Quent Miles as he jumped past Roger's
body. "We've got to find Corbett. Take the starboard ladder; I'll take
the port. Search all the way aft to the exhaust tubes if you have to!"

Ross nodded quickly, hefted his ray gun, and moved down the opposite
ladder.

Tom watched both of them come down like twin devils, hands holding the
ray guns as steady as rocks. The cadet hid behind the open door leading
to