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“Hanson!” cried Inverness. “Man, but we’re glad to see a human face again—but why did you come? Now they’ve got us all.”

“But they’ll let us all go,” I said, with a confidence I did not feel. “I’ve demonstrated to one of their leaders just what the Ertak can do—and will do—if we aren’t aboard, safe and unhurt, in three hours.”

“The young bloods don’t obey well, though,” said Brady, shaking his head. “Look at them, milling around there in the central passage! They didn’t see your demonstration, whatever it was. They started for us some time back, and we had to rip a couple of them to pieces, and barricade ourselves.”

“Well,” said Correy grimly, “we’ll soon find out. Ready to start back, sir?”

I

“Tell them to make way,” I commanded. “We’re leaving.”

“I’ve—I’ve been in communication with him,” moaned Tipene. “And he hasn’t any power over these youngsters. They want blood. Blood! They say the ship won’t dare do anything so long as so many of us are here.”

“It will, though,” I snapped. “Kincaide will obey my orders to the letter. It’ll be a wholesale slaughter, if we’re not there by the specified time.”