Brigands of the Moon

occurred. Then I sought out Carter. He had his little chart room insulated. And we were cautious. I told him what Snap and I had lear

going to bring back a cordon of Interplanetary Police. The secret will be out, of course, when

was grim when I told him of

e's message? Who was it? You see

er, who seemed to have been watching me earlier in the night, and again was sit

s all righ

thing about this

astily. "You haven't m

hear that eavesdropper? And what was he doing

have that Prince suite searched-we can't be to

ll metal room with a chair, a desk and a bunk. I made sure no one was in it. I sealed the la

al awakened me. I had slept

the deck, with its ports on the dome side, through which a vista of the starry firmament was visible. We were well on our course to Mars. The Moon had dwindled to a pin point of light beside t

eight seats. Snap and I had one of the tables. We sat

down the length of the table. In a gay mood, h

handsome fellow, isn't he? And as pleasant as h

black hair. His pointed face, accentuated by the pointed beard, was pallid. He wore a white and p

you, sir." His voi

"I should have heard

t is an error of mine, not yours. My mission

ligion of the Venus my

Hahn ironically, nodding to the man, "ha

side. "I mean, you seem to think I meant s

iston, an English gentleman, lecturer and sky-trotter-that is, he

nt. "My compliments, Mr. Haljan. I hope you have no strong religi

rgument. Snap introduced him as Rance Rankin. An Am

akfast and let t

said Snap. "I love an argum

said too much. Mr. Rankin,

. I deal in tricks-how to fool an audience-" His keen, amused gaze was on O

xclaimed. "By Jove! Really, Mr.

ing passengers always annoy me. There were still three seats vacant at our table; I wondered

the empty seat at my right hand. "The Venza, isn't that her nam

days of a religious argument three times a day woul

p. "She's on the deck, having orange juice

s sister, one on each side of the Captain. I saw George Prince in the life now as a man who looked hardly twenty-five. He was at this moment eviden

She presently finished her meal. She rose, with him after her. She was dressed in Earth-fashion-white blouse and dark ja

o, smiled, as though to signify that his sister had told him of the service I had done her.

tever plotting against the Grantline Expedition might be going on, I hoped that George Prince was innocent of it. Yet I knew in my heart it was a futile

y of our table. I heard Ob Hahn's silky voice. "We p

technical problem of the exigencies of interstellar n

glance as Rance Rankin shot at me. Were all three people aware of Grantline's treasure on the Moon? It suddenly seemed so. I wished fervently at th

sight, the Moon, from so close-though I was too m

ft, with the man beside her. All Martians are tall. The girl was about my own height. That is, six feet, two inches. The man was seven feet or more. Both wore the Martian outer robe. The girl

fast that you were big

. Snap introduced them as Set Miko and Setta

ven feet in height was almost heavy set. He wore a plaited leather jerkin beneath his robe and knee pants of leather out of which

ic of the Martian. He spoke perfect English-both Martians and Venus people are by heritage extraordinary linguists.

robe to bare his forearm. An instant only, then it dropped to his wrist. But in that instant I had seen, upon

lowed by a Martian. I had shot at him with a heat ray: I thought I had hit him on