ddenly relieved_]

"Yes, I recognize you," snarled Sinclair. "Get away from that air lock
or I'll blast you!"

Tom's face expressed the confusion he felt. "But, Mr. Sinclair, you're
making a mistake. I've got to get aboard and warn--" He stopped. "What's
the idea of holding a paralo ray on me?"

"You're not warning anybody!" Sinclair waved the gun menacingly. "Now
get over to the house and walk slowly with your hands in the air or I'll
freeze you solid!"

Stunned by this sudden turn of events, Tom turned away from the air
lock. "So you're one of them, too," said Tom. "No wonder we were caught
in the jungle. You knew we were looking for the base."

"Never mind that," snapped Sinclair. "Get into the house and make it
quick!"

The young cadet walked slowly toward the house. He saw the charred
remains of the burned outbuildings and nodded. "So it was all an act,
eh? You had your buildings burned to throw us off the track. Small price
to pay to remain in the confidence of the Solar Guard."

"Shut up!" growled Sinclair.

"You might be able to shut me up, but it'll take a lot more than a bunch
of rabble rousers to shut up the Solar Guard!"

"We'll see," snapped Sinclair.

They reached the house and Tom climbed the steps slowly, hoping the
planter would come close enough for a sudden attack, but he was too
careful. They moved into the living room and Tom stopped in surprise.
George Hill and his wife were tied hand and foot to two straight-backed
chairs.

Tom gasped. "George! Mrs. Hill!"

George Hill strained against his bonds and mumbled something through the
gag in his mouth, but Tom couldn't understand what he was trying to say.
Mrs. Hill just looked at the planter with wide, frightened eyes. The
cadet whirled around angrily. "Why, you dirty little space rat!"

Sinclair didn't hesitate. He squeezed the trigger of his paralo-ray gun
and Tom stiffened into rigidity.

The planter dropped the ray gun into a chair and leisurely began to tie
the hands and feet of the immobilized cadet.

"Since you can hear me, Corbett," said Sinclair, "and since you are
powerless to do anything about what I'm about to tell you, I'm going to
give you a full explanation. I owe it to you. You've really worked for
it."

Unable to move a muscle, Tom nevertheless could hear the planter
clearly. He mentally chided himself at his stupidity in allowing himself
to be captured so easily.

Sinclair continued, "My original invitation to y