hing toward Sun
and Earth at a speed that outraced the flying radio message, leaving the
ship of the Guard Patrol behind, and leaving the Pilot as he leaves our
story.

Chapter II

CANINE PEOPLE

"And that," said Arcot between puffs, "will certainly be a great boon to
the Rocket Patrol, you must admit. They don't like dueling with these
space-pirates using the molecular rays, and since molecular rays have
such a tremendous commercial value, we can't prohibit the sale of ray
apparatus. Now, if you will come into the 'workshop,' Fuller, I'll give
a demonstration with friend Morey's help."

The four friends rose, Morey, Wade and Fuller following Arcot into his
laboratory on the thirty-seventh floor of the Arcot Research Building.
As they went, Arcot explained to Fuller the results and principles of
the latest product of the ingenuity of the "Triumvirate," as Arcot,
Morey and Wade had come to be called in the news dispatches.

"As you know, the molecular rays make all the molecules of any piece of
matter they are turned upon move in the desired direction. Since they
supply no new energy, but make the body they are turned upon supply its
own, using the energy of its own random molecular motion of heat, they
are practically impossible to stop. The energy necessary for molecular
rays to take effect is so small that the usual type of filter lets
enough of it pass. A ship equipped with filters is no better off when
attacked than one without. The rays simply drove the front end into the
rear, or _vice versa_, or tore it to pieces as the pirates desired. The
Rocket Patrol could kill off the pirates, but they lost so many men in
the process, it was a Phyrric victory.

"For some time Morey and I have been working on something to stop the
rays. Obviously it can't be by means of any of the usual metallic energy
absorption screens.

"We finally found a combination of rays, better frequencies, that did
what we wanted. I have such an apparatus here. What we want you to do,
of course, is the usual job of rearranging the stuff so that the
apparatus can be made from dies, and put into quantity production. As
the Official Designer for the A.A.L. you ought to do that easily." Arcot
grinned as Fuller looked in amazement at the apparatus Arcot had picked
up from the bench in the "workshop."

"Don't get worried," laughed Morey, "that's got a lifting unit
combined--just a plain ordinary molecular lift such as you see by the
hun