e scene was one of magic, unearthly beauty. The metal bulk of the
cruiser and the towering jungle around the clearing were washed by
brilliant silver light that fell from the wonderful night sky of this
World with a Thousand Moons.

A thousand moons indeed seemed blazing in the canopied heavens
overhead! The whole dark sky was crowded by the shining moonlets that
rushed ceaselessly across the firmament with the spinning of the
meteor-swarm of which they were part. It was like the glorious vista
of a world seen in dreams.

But Kenniston was familiar with the unearthly spectacle. He led the
way rapidly toward the northern edge of the jungle.

"We'll just have to plunge in and head north," he told the Jovian. "If
we reach that little lake, we can soon find Dark's camp."

They started into the dense jungle, a fairyland of silver beams
sifting through the choking fronds. Something scurried close by.

"Kenniston, shoot!" cried Holk Or instantly.

* * * * *

Kenniston had already glimpsed the white beast scurrying toward them
across a little patch of moonslight. It was one of the big
meteor-rats. On its neck bunched one of the little gray masses--a
Vestan.

The horror inspired by the hideous parasites tightened Kenniston's
finger convulsively on the trigger of the atom-pistol. The crackling
bolt of fire from the weapon ripped into the Vestan on the meteor-rat,
and both parasite and animal victim were instantly a scorched, smoking
heap.

"Hell, that's torn it!" cried the big Jovian. "We've roused the whole
ship!"

Men awakened by the blast of the atom-gun were pouring out of the
_Sunsprite_, rushing after the two escaped men. Kenniston heard
Captain Walls shouting.

"They're in the jungle here! Spread out and surround them!" the
officer was ordering.

Kenniston and the Jovian plunged forward, seeking to escape northward.
But they had come up against an impenetrable abatis of brush.

Before they could find a way around it, they heard men crashing all
around them. They were completely encircled.

"Kenniston, you and that Jovian walk back into the clearing with your
hands raised or we'll blast every inch of the brush till we get you!"
came the stentorian shout of the captain.

"The devil--they've got us boxed!" exclaimed Holk Or furiously. "We'll
try to fight our way through."

"No!" Kenniston declared. "We couldn't make it anyway. And I'm not
going to shoot innocent men."

Ho