ippled feet, far
too big for his thin shanks, became entangled. He gave a giddy shriek
and fell over backward, landing on his back, and lay still. His pale,
freckled face became greenish.

But the bowl, filled to the brim by its greasy, scalding hot contents,
flew in a sweeping parabola, tipping as it fell, so that the entire
contents cascaded on Gore, drenching him from head to foot. Howling
with rage and pain he danced around. He was utterly beside himself.
When he was able to see he rushed for Sorko, who was moaning with
returning consciousness, and picked up the frail body to hurl it
against the floor.

"Stop, or you're dead!"

* * * * *

That voice, so incisive and clear, was a woman's. Gore found himself
looking into the little twin funnels of his own ray projector. They
were filled with a milky light, and the odor of ozone was strong. The
girl had only to press the trigger and a powerful current would leap
along the path of those ionizing beams. And Gore would murder no more.

Stupidly, he let Sorko slide to the floor, where the poor fellow
recovered sufficiently from his paralyzing fright and his fall to
scuttle away.

Looking past the menacing weapon, Gore saw the girl, Lenore Hyde. Her
limpid eyes under their straight brows were blazing, and he read in
them certain death for himself.

"Up that ladder!" she ordered sharply, "and stay out! Guard, when this
beast is gone I will give you this weapon. Now, connect up your
skipper."

Too surprised to disobey, the guard threw the televisor switch, and in
a moment Strom's stern face appeared on the screen. He comprehended
the situation immediately.

"Do as she says," he ordered brusquely. "Stoddard is coming to take
care of that man of hers that Gore beat up."

A few minutes later she was tearfully assisting the ship's doctor to
put the man with the dislocated shoulders on a stretcher.

"Your husband?" asked Stoddard, who resembled a starved gray rat.

"My brother," she exclaimed simply.

"Want to take care of him?" And at her eager assent, he said, "Can't
afford to let him die. Your family got money?"

"Yes, yes! They will pay anything--anything--to get him back safely."

The doctor grinned with satisfaction.

* * * * *

Memory returned to Quirl with the realization that he was lying on a
metal bunk in an outside stateroom, where he could see the orderly
procession of the stars throu