smiled at us gravely. Captain Carter said, "Sit down, lads."

We took the seats. There was an alarming solemnity about this. If I had
been guilty of anything that I could think of, it would have been
frightening. But Halsey's first words reassured me.

"It's about the Grantline Moon Expedition. In spite of our secrecy, the
news has gotten out. We want to know how. Can you tell us?"

Captain Carter's huge bulk--he was about as tall as I am--towered over
us as we sat before Halsey's desk. "If you lads have told anyone--said
anything--let slip the slightest hint about it--"

Snap smiled with relief; but he turned solemn at once. "I haven't. Not a
word!"

"Nor have I," I declared.

* * * * *

The Grantline Moon Expedition! We had not thought of that as a reason
for this summons. Johnny Grantline was a close friend to us both. He had
organized an exploring expedition to the Moon. Uninhabited, with its
bleak, forbidding, airless, waterless surface, the Moon--even though so
close to the Earth--was seldom visited. No regular ship ever stopped
there. A few exploring parties of recent years had come to grief.

But there was a persistent rumor that upon the Moon, mineral riches of
fabulous wealth were awaiting discovery. The thing had already caused
some interplanetary complications. The aggressive Martians would be only
too glad to explore the Moon. But the U.S.W.[2] definitely warned them
away. The Moon was World Territory, we announced, and we would protect
it as such.

The threatened conflict between the Earth and Mars had come to nothing.
There was, this year of 2079, a thorough amity between all three of the
inhabited planets. It still holds, and I pray that it may always hold.

There was, nevertheless, a realization by our government, that whatever
riches might be upon the Moon should be seized at once and held by some
reputable Earth Company. And when Johnny Grantline applied, with his
father's wealth and his own scientific record of attainment, the
government was only too glad to grant him its writ.

* * * * *

The Grantline Expedition had started six months ago. The Martian
government had acquiesced in our ultimatum, yet brigands have been known
to be financed under cover of a governmental disavowal. And so the
expedition was kept secret.

My words need give no offense to any Martian who comes upon them. I
refer to the history of our earth only