tzmann went on:

"He led me here: the young fool! Then I sent for you--und this time I
signed his name--und you came. So simple!

"Und now we go in _my_ ship to _my_ new world. And," he added savagely,
"if one of you makes the least trouble, he will land on the Dark
Moon--yess!--but he will land hard, from ten thousand feet up!"

The great generator was roaring. To Chet came the familiar lift of the
R. A. effect. They were beyond the R. A.; they were heading out and away
from Earth; and his friends were captives through his own unconscious
treachery, carried out into space in their own ship, with the hands of
an enemy gripping the controls....

Chet's groan, as he turned his face away from the others who had tried
to smile cheerfully, had nothing to do with the pain of his body. It was
his mind that was torturing him.

But he muttered broken words as he lay there, words that had reference
to one Schwartzmann. "I'll get him, damn him! I'll get him!" he was
promising himself.

And Herr Schwartzmann, who was clever, would have proved his cleverness
still more by listening. For a Mister Pilot of the World does not get
his rating on vain boasts. He must know first his flying, his ships and
his air--but he is apt to make good in other ways as well.

CHAPTER III

_Out of Control_

Walter Harkness had built this ship with Chet's help. They had designed
it for space-travel. It was the first ship to leave the Earth under its
own power, reach another heavenly body, and come back for a safe
landing. But they had not installed any luxuries for the passengers.

In the room where the three were confined, there were no
self-compensating chairs such as the high-liners used. But the
acceleration of the speeding ship was constant, and the rear wall became
their floor where they sat or paced back and forth. Their bonds had been
removed, and one of Harkness' hands was gripping Diane's where they sat
side by side. Chet was briskly limbering his cramped muscles.

He glanced at the two who sat silent nearby, and he knew what was in
their minds--knew that each was thinking of the other, forgetting their
own danger; and it was these two who had saved his life on their first
adventure out in space.

Walt--one man who was never spoiled by his millions; and Diane--straight
and true as they make 'em! Some way, somehow, they must be saved--thus
ran his thoughts--but it looked bad for them all. Schwartzmann?--no use
kidding them