ou and your friends, to
use my home as a base for your hunting operations was sincere. I had no
idea you were in any way connected with the investigation the Solar
Guard was planning to make into the Nationalist movement."

Tom was completely bound now, and the planter stepped back, picked up
the ray gun, and flipping on the neutralizer, released the cadet from
the effects of the ray charge. Tom shuddered involuntarily, his nerves
and muscles quivering as life suddenly flowed into them again. He
twisted at the bonds on his wrists, and to his amazement found them
slightly loose. He was sure he could work his hands free, but decided to
wait for a better opportunity. He glanced at the clock on the wall near
by and saw that it was nine in the evening. Only fifteen hours before
the Solar Guard must attack!

Sinclair sat down casually in a chair and faced the cadet. George and
Mrs. Hill had stopped struggling and were watching their employer.

"Do you know anything about the bomb we found on the _Polaris_ on our
trip to Venus?" asked Tom.

"I planned that little surprise myself, Corbett," said Sinclair.
"Unfortunately our agents on Earth bungled it."

"It seems to me that was pretty stupid. There would have been another
man sent in Major Connel's place, and we were warned that something big
was in the wind."

"Ah, quite so, Corbett," said Sinclair. "But the destruction of the
_Polaris_ would have caused no end of speculation. There would have been
an investigation which would have temporarily removed the spotlight from
the Nationalist movement. That would have given us ample time to
complete our preparations for the attack."

"Then you knew," said Tom bitterly, "when Major Connel, Roger, Astro,
and I left here that we were going to be captured."

"Well, that was one of the details of the final plan. Personally, I
hoped that you and your nosy major would meet a more dramatic and
permanent end in the jungle."

"What are you going to do with us?" asked Tom, glancing at George and
his wife. "And what do Mr. and Mrs. Hill have to do with your scheme?"

"Unfortunately they discovered who I am, and of course had to be taken
care of. As to your eventual disposition, I haven't had time to think
about that."

"Well, you'd better start thinking," said Tom. "And you'd better do a
good job when you attack the Solar Guard. Perhaps you don't know it,
Sinclair, but the whole pattern of the Solar Guard is one of defense. We
do n