sition as the
rocket's aspect changed.

The port window nearest Rick was within reach. He hauled himself up. It
was like being in a plane. He looked down at the earth from an altitude
of about thirty thousand feet. He was almost there, and the rocket was
under control!

A wave of relief swept through him, and he sat down. He was going to
make it! The cabin was hot, like a closed attic on a hot July day, but
it was bearable. He got back to the port again and watched as Pegasus
turned in lazy circles many miles in diameter. The earth was coming
closer at a pretty good clip. He was almost comfortable now, knowing
that Jerry Lipton had the rocket under control.

Rick closed his eyes, for just a moment. But the moment stretched ahead
as his weakened body betrayed him. He didn't realize how much time had
passed until he opened his eyes again just as Pegasus pulled up into a
bank that sent the blood from his head and almost caused him to black
out again. But in that instant he knew he was on the landing approach,
and that his speed was far too great for comfort.

He had just enough sense left to take the proper precautions. He
stretched out on his stomach, feet to the nose of the rocket, and
cushioned his head in his hands.

* * * * *

Pegasus flashed low over the hills at the end of Scarlet Lake and
touched earth at twelve hundred miles an hour. It bounced, then hit
again on the tricycle landing gear. The brakes were applied, gently at
first, then with all the strength of the servomotors. The deadly
velocity dropped off, but not fast enough. The runway was miles long,
but the rocket went over it and into the desert beyond. There was
nothing anyone could do.

Rick vaguely felt the smooth runway change to rougher terrain. He felt
the impact when Pegasus struck a hummock and tore off the landing gear.
He felt the rocket slow. Then it stopped--too fast! He went flying
forward, and he brought his arms up to cushion his head. He smashed with
stunning impact into the bottom of the nose radar set, and dropped into
infinite blackness.

CHAPTER XX

The Earthman

Rick came back to life briefly. He saw a patch of something white
overhead, and after much staring decided it was a ceiling. He turned his
head an inch and saw a festoon of rubber tubes and hanging bottles.
Thinking was too difficult. He closed his eyes and drifted off again.

When he again awoke the rubber tubes and bottles