or
so long."

* * * * *

"Yes. But Carse--what of you? How long will you stay? I only wish I
could persuade you--"

"To retire, Eliot? Settle down? Become a humdrum landlocked
Earthling?" He chuckled, and shook his head. "No, no, old friend. Oh,
I'll stay on Earth for a few weeks; I suppose I'll have to, to testify
before the World Court of Justice when it takes up your case; but
after that's settled, I'll be going back. You know me, Eliot: I'll
never change. There are a number of things I must attend to at once.
My ship, the _Star Devil_, is still on Iapetus, remember; I must find
her and get her tuned up again. She's the fastest craft in space, bar
none. Then I must make the round of my ranches and see that things are
running smoothly. I've a lot of work on the Iapetus ranch,
particularly. Then, there's that Pool of Radium--not that I need the
wealth, if it really exists; but the job has killed so many who have
sought for it that I'd like to take a crack at it myself. Oh, plenty
to do!"

Leithgow looked at him, and there was all affection in his eyes, and
friendship as close as it can be between men.

"No, Carse," said Leithgow softly. "I suppose Earth will never get her
gravity on you for keeps. But I hope you will come down occasionally
to see me, and perhaps once a year, say, spend a month with Sandra and
me in our--"

"Carse!"

Ban shouted the name out. His face, turned from the electelscope, was
alive with excitement.

"Here! Look!"

"What is it?"

"The asteroid! It's close!"

In two strides Carse was at the eyepiece of the infra-red glass
attached to the instrument. One look through it served to verify Ban's
report. The asteroid of Dr. Ku Sui had at last appeared.

* * * * *

It was not more than fifty miles from the _Sandra_, a craggy fragment
of rock, peanut-shaped, and tipped by its gleaming dome. Its speed
seemed the same as theirs, but its course was different; and to Carse,
that fact immediately explained its sudden appearance. He turned from
the eyepiece with a face grown hard and cold.

"Well, it's happened," he said. "Instead of a stern chase, which would
give us some chance of spotting them, they at once got off to the side
and have all this time been flanking us. Now they're cutting in,
straight behind, no doubt ready for business. All right. Ban, sound
the alarm."

Like a gladiator about to step sword in hand into th