ckly told him of Roger's attempt to work with Connel.

"Take our spaceboy down below and lock him in a storage compartment." He
handed over one of the paralo-ray guns, and Mason shoved the muzzle into
Roger's stomach.

"Get moving, Manning!" he snarled. "I'd like nothing better than to let
you have it right now!"

Roger smiled, knowing Mason still harbored a grudge for the beating he
had taken earlier on the trip.

"When you have him locked up, get back on the control deck," said
Loring. "We're going to do some old-fashioned bargaining with
'Blast-off' Connel!"

"Bargaining?" exclaimed Roger.

"Yeah! One slightly used Space Cadet for what we came after--the copper
satellite!"

"Connel won't bargain," said Roger. "Not for me, not for anything. You
don't know him!"

"I know this, Manning!" said Loring. "I'm going to get on the teleceiver
and tell Connel that if he doesn't blast away from here _right now_,
you're a dead Space Cadet!" He jerked his head toward the door. "All
right, take him below and tell Shinny to stand by on the power deck. In
case Connel won't bargain, we'll have to make a run for it!"

"Right," said Mason as he shoved the paralo-ray gun deeper into Roger's
stomach. "Move, Manning!"

Roger climbed down the ladder and through the long passageway of the
_Space Devil_. He passed Shinny on the way down.

"What's going on here?" demanded Shinny, seeing Mason with the
paralo-ray gun.

"We missed with the bomb," said Mason, "and Connel raised ship. He's
ready to blast us if we don't surrender right away. Loring's trying to
make a deal with him."

"What kind of a deal?" asked Shinny.

"Hot-shot Manning for the satellite!"

"He hasn't told you everything, Mr. Shinny," said Roger in his casual
drawl. "They are the ones who caused the crash of the _Annie Jones_ and
the deaths of Jardine and Bangs. They framed me!"

"Then," mused Shinny, "you're cleared?"

"Yeah," growled Mason, "he's cleared! Cleared for a long swim in space
if Connel doesn't do what Loring tells him! Get in there!" Mason shoved
Roger into the cramped storage compartment. He locked the door and
turned to Shinny.

"Loring wants you to stand by the power deck in case Connel won't play
ball. We might have to make a run for it."

"Yeah, yeah," said Shinny, "I'll stand by the power deck."

Mason turned and walked away. Shinny followed him, a curious gleam in
his eyes.

Up on the control deck, Loring was twisting the dials in