him clear across the vessel
with one powerful blow of his fist.

"Get back there, you cowardly cur," he said evenly. "Even though we are
a long way from home, try to remember you're a man, at least. One more
break like that and I'll throw you out of the boat. It isn't her fault
that we are out here, but our own. The blame for it is a very small
matter, anyway; the thing of importance is to get back as soon as
possible."

"But how can we get back?" asked Perkins sullenly from the corner where
he was crouching, fear in every feature. "The power is gone, the
controls are wrecked, and we are hopelessly lost in space."

"Oh, I wouldn't say 'hopelessly,'" returned the other, "I have never
been in any situation yet that I couldn't get out of, and I won't be
convinced until I am dead that I can't get out of this one. We have two
extra power bars, we can fix the board, and if I can't navigate us back
close enough to our solar system to find it, I am more of a dub than I
think I am. How about a little bite to eat?"

"Show us where it is!" exclaimed Dorothy. "Now that you mention it, I
find that I am starved to death."

DuQuesne looked at her keenly.

"I admire your nerve, Miss Vaneman. I didn't suppose that that animal
over there would show such a wide streak of yellow, but I was rather
afraid that you girls might go to pieces."

"I'm scared blue, of course," Dorothy admitted frankly, "but hysterics
won't do any good, and we simply _must_ get back."

"Certainly, we must and we will," stated DuQuesne calmly. "If you like,
you might find something for us to eat in the galley there, while I see
what I can do with this board that I wrecked with my head. By the way,
that cubby-hole there is the apartment reserved for you two ladies. We
are in rather cramped quarters, but I think you will find everything you
need."

As Dorothy drew herself along the handrail toward the room designated,
accompanied by the other girl who, though conscious, had paid little
attention to anything around her, she could not help feeling a thrill of
admiration for the splendid villain who had abducted her. Calm and cool,
always master of himself, apparently paying no attention to the terrible
bruises which disfigured half his face and doubtless half his body as
well, she admitted to herself that it was only his example, which had
enabled her to maintain her self-control in their present plight. As she
crawled over Perkins' discarded suit, she remem