he ship not daring to enter the airlock.
Jandron's men then closed the inner door, re-opened the outer one, and
started back toward the _Pallas_ with the helmets of Kent and his
companions.

Kent and the others soon found Crain and his half-dozen men who rapidly
undid their bonds. Crain's men still wore their space-suits, but, like
Kent's companions, were without space-helmets.

"Kent, I was afraid they'd get you and your men too!" Crain exclaimed.
"It's all my fault, for when I saw Jandron and his men coming from the
wreck-pack I never doubted but that it was you."

"It's no one's fault," Kent told him. "It's just something that we
couldn't foresee."

* * * * *

Crain's eyes fell on Krell. "But what's he doing here?" he exclaimed.
Kent briefly explained Jandron's treachery toward Krell, and Crain's
brows drew ominously together.

"So Jandron put you here with us! Krell, I am a commissioned captain of
a space-ship, and as such can legally try you and sentence you to death
here without further formalities."

Krell did not answer, but Kent intervened. "There's hardly time for that
now, sir," he said. "I'm as anxious to settle with Krell as anyone, but
right now our main enemy is Jandron, and Krell hates Jandron worse than
we do, if I'm not mistaken."

"You're not," said Krell grimly. "All I want right now is to get within
reach of Jandron."

"There's small chance of any of us doing that," Crain told them.
"There's not a single space-helmet on the _Martian Queen_."

"You've searched?" Liggett asked.

"Every cubic inch of the ship," Crain told him. "No, Jandron's men made
sure there were no helmets left here, and without helmets this ship is
an inescapable prison."

"Damn it, there must be some way out!" Kent exclaimed. "Why, Jandron and
his men must be starting to pump that fuel into the _Pallas_ by now!
They'll be sailing off as soon as they do it!"

Crain's face was sad. "I'm afraid this is the end, Kent. Without
helmets, the space between the _Martian Queen_ and the _Pallas_ is a
greater barrier to us than a mile-thick wall of steel. In this ship
we'll stay, until the air and food give out, and death releases us."

"Damn it, I'm not thinking of myself!" Kent cried. "I'm thinking of
Marta! The _Pallas_ will sail out of here with her in Jandron's power!"

"The girl!" Liggett exclaimed. "If she could bring us over space-helmets
from the _Pallas_ we could get out of here!"

Ken