p that blocked them, and was away. The weight below, and its
resistance to the air, dragged them down, but Harkness brought the
ball up, and the ship answered with a slow lift of the bow that aimed
them straight out into space.

A vertical climb!--and the voice from the instrument beside him was
shouting orders to halt. On each side were patrol-ships that roared
upward with him.

"Cut those motors!" the voice commanded. "Release that ship! Halt, or
we will fire!"

* * * * *

Harkness threw his ship into a wild spiral for reply, and the thin
crack of guns came to him from outside. Down! A headlong dive! Then
out and up again!

He was through the repelling area in a twisting, rocking flight. Not
hit as yet; they had to aim carefully to avoid damaging the red
craft.... He was straining his eyes for a glimpse of serpent-forms,
and he laughed softly under his breath at thought of his strange
allies. Laughed!--until he saw them coming.

He slammed down the switch on his own broadcast sender. "Back!" he
shouted; "back, all of you! Look up! Look above you! The monsters are
coming!--the air-beasts!--they are attacking!"

He threw his own ship into a dive; saw the others do likewise; then
leaped for the switch on the rescue magnets and pulled it open.

He felt the red ship fall clear. He swung his own ship free and aimed
it out and up on a long line of speed. Beside him a voice from a
distant, fleeing patrol was shouting; "Come back, you fool! Down!
Down, through the R. A.!"

One backward glance showed him that his pursuers were safe. The
serpents had turned to pursue him, and other writhing luminosities
were falling from above. He swung head on, his motors wide open, his
speed building up and up, to crash softly through the advance guard of
the giant creatures out of space.

Nothing could stop him! He was trembling with the knowledge, and with
the sheer joy of the adventure. Nothing could check them; neither
cruisers nor monsters; nothing of earth or of space. They were free;
they were on their way out--out where a new world awaited--where the
Dark Moon raced on her unlighted path!

* * * * *

For the moment he had forgotten their passenger. The thrill of combat
and the ecstasy of winning freedom for their great adventure had
filled him to forgetfulness of all else.

"We're off!" he shouted. "Off for the Dark Moon!" Then he remembered,
and turned whe