What is this?" demanded Bangs.

"An old game," explained Loring with a sneer. "It's called 'You've got
it and I take it.' And if you don't like it, you get it." He gestured
with his gun. "You get it--with this."

Bangs nodded. "O.K.," he said. "O.K. But how about letting me take care
of my buddy. He's hurt."

[Illustration]

"Just a bump on the head," said Loring. "He'll come out of it soon
enough."

"Hey," shouted Mason, "I can't figure out these controls!"

Loring growled angrily. "Here, lemme at them!" He forced Bangs to lie
down on the deck, and then, keeping the gun trained on the redheaded
spaceman, stepped quickly to the control board. He handed Mason the gun.

"Keep an eye on them while I figure this baby out."

"Least you coulda done is steal a decent ship," grumbled Mason. "This
tub is so old it creaks!"

"Just shut your mouth and keep your eye on those guys," said the other.
He began to mutter to himself as he tried to figure out the complicated
controls.

[Illustration]

Jardine was now conscious but had the presence of mind not to move. His
head ached from the blow. Slowly he opened his eyes and saw his two
attackers bending over the board. He saw that Bangs was lying on the
deck facing him. Jardine winked at Bangs, who returned the signal. Then
he began, carefully, methodically to send a Morse-code message to his
companion via his winking eyes.

"O-N-L-Y--one--gun--between--them. You--take--big--fellow.
I'll--charge--gun ..."

"Can't you figure this thing out either?" asked Mason, leaning over
Loring's shoulder.

"Ah, this wagon is an old converted chemical burner. These controls are
old as the sun. I've got to find the automatic pilot!"

"Try that lever over there," suggested Mason.

Loring reached over to grasp it, turning away from his prisoners.

"Bangs, get 'em!" shouted Jardine. The two men jumped to their feet and
lunged at Loring and Mason. Loring dove to one side, losing the gun in
the scramble, but as he fell, he reached for the acceleration control
lever. He wrenched it out of its socket and brought it down on Bang's
head, and the officer slid to the floor. Jardine, meanwhile, had Mason
in a viselike grip, but again Loring used the lever, bringing it down
hard on the neck of the freighter pilot. Jardine dropped to the deck.

"Thanks, Loring," gasped Mason. "That was close! Good thing we had on
these space suits, or we'd have been finished. They couldn't grab onto
the smoo