were gone. Grinning
faces were grouped around him. Some he recognized, others were
strangers. That was Scotty, and that was John Gordon, and that was Tom
Preston. The others were doctors and nurses.

Rick said, "So we got down in one piece."

"Not exactly one piece." John Gordon smiled.

Scotty asked anxiously, "How do you feel?"

Rick thought about it. He didn't really know how he felt. "Sort of ...
light. I'm floating." Probably he had been asleep for some time. "What
time is it?" he asked.

John Gordon gave a relieved chuckle. "Time sense returns. He's
improving. You should ask what _day_ it is, Rick. You've been asleep a
long time. Pegasus went up three days ago."

"I must have needed sleep," Rick said weakly. Questions crowded into his
mind. He asked the most important ones first. "How's the spacemonk? Did
you get the Earthman?"

"The Prince is fine," John Gordon answered. "Yes, Rick, we got the
Earthman. He gave himself away when we realized you were in the rocket.
Now, no more questions. We'll be back again tomorrow and the doctor says
we can talk more."

"Just one more question," Rick pleaded. He couldn't sleep without
knowing. "Who is the Earthman?"

"Frank Miller."

And that was it, for the time being. Not until he was improved enough
for Scotty and Gordon to spend most of the day with him did Rick get the
whole story. They brought the spacemonk. The little creature petted
Rick, then snuggled down and went to sleep against his side.

The landing had been cruel misfortune. The brakes were not strong enough
to take the strain put on them. Worried because Rick had not signaled
for a second time, Jerry had brought the rocket in faster than planned.
Pegasus had buried its nose in the foothills.

Rick had suffered an amazing variety of bruises, coupled with internal
damages, three broken ribs, and a dislocated right shoulder. On his
right arm he had a permanent scar as a memento of the landing. A metal
projection had given him a bad wound and cut an artery. He had lost
considerable blood by the time the first-aid team was able to get him
out and apply a tourniquet. He had also suffered concussion.

John Gordon described what had happened in the blockhouse.

"I just yelled your first message out loud. Jerry was staring at the
radar screen at the time. He reached over and switched the equipment
back on, then took control. At first we didn't know who was in the
rocket. Then we took a quick nose count