uldn't be surprised if a non-company observer
might be on board at the time, maybe even a visiting Senator from Earth.
For something this big, we can afford to be patient."

There was silence in the little scout-ship cabin. The end seemed
inevitable. This was a desperate move on Tawney's part. He was gambling
everything on it; he would not take the chance of letting any of them
return to Mars or anywhere else to testify.

Greg caught Tom's eye, saw the hopelessness on his brother's face. He
clenched his fists angrily at his side. If it were not for Tom, Dad's
bonanza might have gone on circling the sun for centuries, maybe
forever, wedged in its hiding place on the rocky surface of the
eccentric asteroid.

But it had been found. Earth needed a star-drive badly; a few more
years, and the need would be desperate. And if a group of power-hungry
men could control a star-drive and hold it for profit, they could
blackmail an entire planet for centuries, and build an empire in space
that could never be broken.

He knew that it must not happen that way. Dad had died to prevent it.
Now it was up to them.

* * * * *

Greg glanced quickly around the cabin, searching for some way out,
something that might give them a chance. His eyes stopped on the control
panel, and he sucked in his breath, his heart pounding. A
possibility....

It would require a swift, sure move, and someone to help, someone with
fast reflexes. It was dangerous; they might all be killed. But if his
training at Star-jump was good for anything, it might work.

He caught Johnny Coombs' eye, winked cautiously. A frown creased
Johnny's forehead. He shot a quick look at Tawney, then lowered his
eyelid a fraction of an inch. Greg could see the muscles of his
shoulders tightening.

Greg took quick stock of the cabin again. Then he took a deep breath and
bellowed, "Johnny ... _duck_!"

Almost by reflex, Johnny Coombs hurled himself to the floor. Tawney
swung the gun around. There was an ugly ripping sound as the stunner
fired ... but Greg was moving by then. In two bounds he was at the
control panel. He hooked an arm around a shock bar, and slammed the
drive switch on full.

There was a roar from below as the engines fired. Greg felt a jolt of
pain as the accelleration jerked at his arm. Tom and the Major were
slammed back against a bulkhead, then fell in a heap on top of Johnny
and the Lieutenant as the awful force of the ac