"But what?" the officer asked calmly.

Harb was silent, his craggy face a mixture of emotions as he looked appealingly at Jonny.

Carlin understood Floring's cleverness. They could not protest the films without giving the real reason for their protest, and that they could not do.

"It's all right for him to keep those pictures, Harb," Jonny said quietly.

Floring turned, bidding a pleasant farewell.

"I'll be seeing you again soon," he promised.

CHAPTER VII

Last Frontier

As soon as Floring's ato-car had purred away, the little group stood in the sunlight outside the workshop, in stricken silence.

Carlin put into words what was in all their minds.

"Jonny, you know why he took those pictures! He'll telephoto them to Canopus headquarters to be examined by engineer experts, and they'll send back word that the machine is a magnetic dredge for Sun-mining!"

Jonny nodded. "Yes, of course. Floring has suspected our plans all along, and now he's going to make sure."

"And when word comes back from Canopus, he'll seize our dredge and ship to stop our expedition!" groaned Harb.

"I know that," Jonny Land said, as his blue eyes swept them. "But it will take fourteen or fifteen hours before he gets that report back. Before that time ends, we've got to be on our way to the Sun!"

Laird Carlin felt a shock of astonishment, but before he could comment, Jonny was speaking swiftly on.

"It's our only chance now—to get away before Floring receives the proof that will authorize him to stop us! The dredge here is almost finished. If we can install it in the 'Phoenix' and take off tonight, we'll have our chance to prove to the galaxy that Sun-mining can be safe."

"Install the dredge tonight?" cried Harb Land. The gangling giant's face was sick with anxiety. 

 Prev. P 36/54 next