and then swung down himself. They panted forward again,
over grayish, glittering soil.

Some three hundred yards of open space lay between them and the
port-locks. Friday now led the way, weighted down under the heavy suits;
the scientist came next and then the Hawk, his sole remaining gun
replying at intervals to the ever-thickening barrage from behind. They
had covered perhaps a half of that distance when the negro's steps
suddenly faltered and he halted.

"Look there!" he groaned. "Cuttin' us off! We'll never make it, suh!"

Carse looked where he pointed, and saw a squad of half a dozen men
emerging from a building well to their left. They were running at full
speed for the lock, and, as Friday had said, it was obvious that they
would get there first. He glanced quickly around. Pursuit from the
laboratory in the rear was hot--and moreover three coolies were angling
sharply out on each side, to outflank them! In a minute they would be
surrounded! Unable to reach either the port or the ship!

And then came the crowning piece of ill-luck. Suddenly the Hawk winced;
staggered; clapped a hand to his shoulder. A lucky shot from an enemy
gun had caught him.

"You're hit!" cried Leithgow.

"It's nothing...."

* * * * *

The slender adventurer stood very still, thinking. He was trapped. But
he was never more dangerous than when he was trapped.

Leithgow timidly ventured a suggestion.

"Why can't we put on our space-suits and rise up in the dome?"

Crisply the answer came back:

"Hard to maneuver laterally. Never get out ports. Sure death.... _I have
it!_" he ended.

Tersely he gave the two men orders:

"We've a bare chance--if I'm lucky. Now listen, and obey me exactly. Put
on your space-suits. Shut them tight. Lie flat. You, Friday, use your
ray-guns _and keep the guards from coming close_. Wait here. Do
absolutely nothing save keep them off. And keep your suits intact or
you're dead!"

He grabbed one of the suits from Friday and crept toward the _Scorpion_
on hands and knees. The three coolies from the pursuit at the rear had
already cut him off from the ship. Friday could not control his alarm at
this apparently crazy act. He called after:

"But you can't get to the ship through those guards! And if you did, you
couldn't run it yourself--and pick us up!"

Carse turned, his face white with cold passion. "When will you learn to
obey me implicitly?" he said harshly