the electroparalysis ray has one basic element around which it
functions--magnetism. The jolt they handed us was of such size that it
created a magnetic field around their ship. If they had been going
through an asteroid belt they would have been bombarded into oblivion.
As it is they'll still be bombarded in a sense--by us."

"You mean--"

"The field envelopes their ship and trails out behind it like an
invisible chain. They couldn't possibly have shoved us hard enough to
get us clear of it. So when they pulled out, the _Space Queen_ nosed
right around and followed them." Mike grinned. "We're on their tail
right now, just as surely as if they had us on a tow-rope."

"Then we can still help father!"

Mike sobered. "We don't know what we can do. We're still not out of
the woods. There's a little problem of landing a dead ship on that
planet after we come within range of its gravity. Then, too, heaven
only knows where we'll set down. If it's a big planet--"

Instead of wincing before this new peril, Doree stiffened against it.
"I'm sure you'll do all that any man could do."

"I'll do my best."

"And so long as the whole disaster was our fault--"

"Forget it." Mike conscious of a warmth rising within him, took his
eyes quickly from her face and went to check ship....

* * * * *

The slow passage of time was the most difficult factor to contend
with. Mike wracked his brain for a means of speeding up the _Space
Queen_. He was confident that the craft was moving straight and true
in the wake of the other ship and that unless drastic adjustments were
made in the course, she would continue to do so. But so slowly--so
very slowly. Acceleration caused by the magnetic field had long-since
reached its apex and now the _Space Queen_ moved at a steady
unchanging pace.

He achieved a little more speed by taking charges from three of the
primers, placing them in the pile head, and igniting with the fourth
primer. He picked up possibly two Gs before the power burned out.

He and Nicko donned space suits, magnetized themselves aft, and opened
the suit's drive plugs to the maximum. The resulting force smashed
them against the hull, almost breaking their ribs. Some additional
acceleration was achieved but pathetically little.

Who would have thought, Mike pondered bitterly, that I'd land out here
pushing my own ship through space? What a laugh the wits at Outer Port
would get when and if this