evel
bit, nervous, apprehensive. In spite of the discipline, heads
automatically jerked upward, raked the sky for sign of the enemy.

Where to now?--thought Hilary. There were no more hiding places as
perfect as the one they had just left. They were forced into the open,
easy prey for the first lynx-eyed Mercutian. Sooner or later, they
would be discovered, and then.... A last hopeless glance at the
mocking stars. Never had man yearned more for rain, oceans and oceans
of it.

* * * * *

Hilary roused himself. Whatever of despair he felt did not appear in
his staccato orders.

"We march at once, men," he said. "Scatter formation, five paces
between. At the signal, take nearest cover, and prepare for action.
Forward--"

"Too late." Grim's voice was flat, controlled.

Hilary looked around sharply. "What do you mean?"

"Look." Morgan's hand swept aloft. Through the darkling night, faintly
visible in the feeble starlight--there was no moon--were driving
shapes, a full score of them converging upon the little band.

One look was sufficient. Mercutian fliers hurrying in response to
their fellow's signal. There was no time, no chance to escape.

"Very well, men." Hilary commanded, coldly calm. "Take cover. Do not
fire until I give the order."

There was instant scattering. The men dived for whatever poor bit of
protection they could find: jutting rocks, tree trunks, thin thorny
bushes even.

Grim and Hilary crouched together behind a great boulder.

"How many pistols are there in the crowd?" Hilary asked quietly.

"Not many. Outside of your automatic and my dynol pistol, there are
two other dynols and not more than a dozen automatics. If only we had
the submachine gun with us, but Wat took it along, and he's gone."

"Not much chance, I'm afraid," said Hilary; "but we'll fight it out.
Here they come."

The two men crouched lower. All about them was silence; not even a
leaf stirred in the heavy breathlessness.

* * * * *

The driving fliers were easily visible now. Ominous hurtling
projectiles, coming to crush out the last vestige of revolt on the
conquered planet. On they came, purposefully, directly, knowing their
way; a full score, converging in a scream of wind against their bows
as they dropped straight for the hidden gorge.

It seemed to the hidden watchers as though they would crash to Earth
with the speed of their swoop. But at one hundr