had no 'scope instruments within
the helmet. With the naked eye the enemy ship was not in sight. But I
knew that meant little; within a moment she could come in view and be
here if she were going at any great velocity.

There were on the _Cometara_, at the time of the disaster, some
sixty-odd men; perhaps forty had gotten away. And I could see very
soon that not more than fifteen, or less, out here were alive. Two
with power were ahead of me now, slowly floating past the wrecked dome
of the stern. One had picked up two others, found them alive and was
towing them out. They went past me, moving very slowly so that I could
see that two were all that one of us could tow and attain any velocity
at all.

I contacted with the leader. He was one of Grantline's men.

"Two or three hundred feet out," I directed. I gestured. "Grantline
said to meet out there. I'll tow others."

"Yes. Around the stern you'll find--God! Haljan, look!"

A mile from us the enemy ship was in view. Passing--no! Stopping! With
incredible retardation she had plunged into view, was here, and yet
had no great forward velocity. She seemed no more rapid than a great
air liner winging past, so close that her reddish-tinged bulging hull
length showed clearly. The discs were gone. The funnel set on top of
her was sloped diagonally toward us as she rolled on her side, so that
momentarily I could see down into it. There was some mechanism down
there. The bow radiance was a narrow opalescent beam in advance of the
bow.

"Slowing, Haljan!"

"Yes, stopping. Don't try to meet Grantline. Tow your men away!"

"Or should we board the _Cometara_ and hide?"

"No. They've come back to bombard her."

I kicked at him violently. With his two drifting figures clinging
behind, he swung past me. I headed behind the stern. Upon its dangling
framework several of our men were glued, lying there inert. I caught a
glimpse of the interior of the stern, the littered deck; men lying
there had been stricken before they had time to get into their suits.

On the outside, forward, I saw Grantline come rounding the bow, towing
a figure and heading for another. On the outside of the bow-peak a
group of others were perched, gesticulating for help. I started that
way; then I saw another, and nearer figure in a power suit heading for
them. I swung back. There were two figures on the outside of the
under-hull whom I could more quickly reach. Inverted flies. Their feet
were on the ke