meant that some of John Dark's outfit had actually
escaped.

"Dark wants the Patrol to keep thinking that he and his outfit were
destroyed--so he can slip out to Pluto and prepare a new base. So
Dark, when he leaves here, is going to drop Miss Loring and her
friends by the wrecked _Sunsprite_, so the Patrol will find 'em dead
by the wreck and will believe their cruiser crashed accidentally. That
way, they won't go on searching as they would if Miss Loring's party
was all missing. And Dark will have a chance to get out to Pluto
without an alarm going out."

Kenniston was suspicious. "Why do you tell us this, Holk? You're one
of the pirates yourself."

"I know, but I'm afraid Dark means to drop _me_ with the others by
the _Sunsprite_!" Holk Or exclaimed. "He didn't say so, but I believe
he figures on doing it so that the telaudio inquiry about me would be
explained when I was found dead with the others by the wreck."

Murdock said swiftly, "The Jovian's right, Kenniston. All this is just
what Dark _would_ do, to hide his trail, now that he knows my telaudio
message may have aroused the Patrol's suspicion."

Holk Or said emphatically, "I'm with you if you can figure out any way
to take the _Falcon_, Kenniston!"

Kenniston paced to and fro. His whole mind was suddenly in a wild
turmoil of stark fears. This meant death for Gloria and the others,
and the ultimate responsibility for that death would be his.

"There is one possible chance for us to take the _Falcon_," he
muttered finally. "But my God, it seems like an insane idea--"

"Wait a minute!" Captain Walls interrupted. "Dark won't drop you and
your brother to die, Kenniston. He still needs your brother as a
physician. You two will be safe even if we are killed."

"What of that? I can't let Gloria and the rest of you be murdered! I
was willing to sacrifice you when I thought it was only a question of
your being held for ransom, but this changes everything," Kenniston
said wildly.

"It doesn't change anything," the captain said firmly. "Your duty is
to keep your brother alive at all costs, to save that formula that
means life and hope for thousands of gravitation-paralysis victims
like my son."

"You mean--I should let you all be killed so Ricky and I can be
saved?" Kenniston cried. "I'm damned if I will!"

"We'll never do that!" Ricky Kenniston agreed warmly. "No formula in
the world is worth that."

"_This_ formula is," Gloria said earnestly to Kennisto