other
satellites; and occasionally, too, there was no night, the central sun
of the solar universe sending its distance-weakened shafts of fire to
light one side of the globe while ringed Saturn gilded the other.

But this season was the one of dark, full-bodied nights; and it was
into the hush of their blackness that the _Star Devil_ and her
attendant brigand ship glided.

Below, on the surface of the Satellite, glowed the pin-prick of a
camp-fire. When the ships were some fifteen thousand feet up, Judd's
orders caused long light-rays to shaft out from the _Star Devil_ and
finger the ground. They rested on the ranch house and then passed on
to douse with white the figures of three men standing by the fire.
Through the electelscope the pirate chief saw them wave their arms in
greeting.

Ten minutes later the two ships nestled down close together a hundred
yards or more from the ranch clearing, and Judd said to his mate,
standing next to him:

"We'll have a little celebration to-night. Break out a few cases of
alkite and send three of the boys to the ranch's storeroom after meat
for the cook to barbecue."

"What you goin' to do with them two?" the other asked.

"Carse and the nig? Keep them here in the control cabin; I'll detail a
couple of men to guard them. I'm taking no chances: they must be in
sight every minute. Carse is too damned dangerous." He peered back at
the captives. The trader's eyes were shut; Friday still appeared
unconscious from the brutal blow on his head. "Asleep. Well, they'd
better sleep--while they have eyelid's to close!" Judd said mockingly,
and his mate laughed in appreciation of his wit.

But neither the Hawk or Friday was asleep. Nor was the negro
unconscious. Carse had ascertained this some time before by cautious
signals.

A little stir had come within him when he heard Judd say there would
be a celebration, for a celebration, to these men, meant a debauch and
relaxed discipline, and relaxed discipline meant--a chance. First,
however, there were the tight bonds of rope; they were expertly tied,
and strong. But the Hawk was not particularly concerned about them.

He had dismissed them as a problem after a few minutes of
consideration, and his mind ran farther ahead, planning coldly,
mechanically, the payment of his blood debts....

* * * * *

All in all, Judd was to blame for what happened that night on Iapetus.
He was an old hand and a capable o