damned Mercutians may spy on us."

* * * * *

He set the polarization controls so that the mere pulling of a switch
would send the flier careening off into space. He surveyed the
apple-pie order of the interior with vast satisfaction.

"Now let them come," he said, "the _Vagabond_ can show anything that
flies a clean pair of heels. Let's eat."

He dragged an aluminum box out of its locker, opened it to disclose a
gray funguslike mass. He cut off huge slices and offered it to his
companions.

They looked at it doubtfully.

"Ugh," Wat shuddered violently, "I never saw stuff like that before.
It doesn't look good." The little man, they soon discovered, had
violent discriminations in food.

"Try it." Hilary assured him. "It's a Martian growth, and delicious.
We had to live on the land so to speak, on our journey. Our Earth food
gave out long before the finish."

Wat looked at it with manifest distaste, but Grim was already wolfing
his portion and making little pleased sounds. Wat bit into a portion
gingerly, found it tasted somewhat like truffles, and soon was not far
behind in gulping it down.

* * * * *

When their appetites had been appeased, Hilary called a council of
war.

"First of all," he told them, "we'll have to find a hideout. That
presupposes two things: a place large enough to store the _Vagabond_,
and hidden from view, either from the naked eye or their search
beams."

"That sounds like a large cavern lined with lead," said Grim.

"Exactly."

"And there are none such in this territory," Grim replied quietly.

"I will not move too far from New York," Hilary spoke with
determination; "there is Joan...."

Grim looked blank. There was Joan, of course.

Wat got up suddenly. "I know a place," he said, "within a mile of
here, and it's not a cave. Come on; I'll show you. I was a Ranger in
the Ramapo Game Preserve in the old days."

Hilary asked no more. The polarization switch made contact, and the
_Vagabond_ left the Earth with a swift rush. It maneuvered with the
ease of an Earth flier. Wat directed him, scanning the rugged
tree-clad mountains with eager eye.

"There," he said finally, "set her down right there. Easy."

Hilary saw no break in the uninterrupted line of the mountain, but he
followed directions. He had come to have an abounding faith in the
little red-haired man.

The space flier eased gently down. Just as it se