olecular director ray to
swing a heavy beam into the air, then one man pulled on the far end of
it with a rope, and swung it till it was resting on the door of the ship
on one end, and the other rested in a hole they had torn in the lining
of the tube.

Now they maneuvered the heavy plate till it was resting on that beam;
then they released the plate, and watched it slide down the incline,
shooting through the open doorway of the car. In moments the job was
done. The plate at last safely stowed, the three men climbed into the
car, and prepared to leave.

The little machine glided swiftly down the tube through the mighty ship,
finally coming out through the opening that had admitted them. They rose
quickly into the air, and headed for the headquarters of the government
ships.

II

A great number of scientists and military men were already gathered
about the headquarters ship. As Arcot's party arrived, they learned that
each of the wrecks was being assigned to one group. They further learned
that because of their scientific importance, they were to go to the
nearly perfect ship lying off to the west. Two Air Patrolmen were to
accompany them.

"Lieutenant Wright and Lieutenant Greer will go with you," said the
Colonel. "In the event of trouble from possible--though
unlikely--survivors, they may be able to help. Is there anything further
we can do?"

"These men are armed with the standard sidearms, aren't they?" Arcot
asked. "I think we'll all be better off if I arm them with some of the
new director-ray pistols. I have several in my boat. It will be all
right, I suppose?"

"Certainly, Dr. Arcot. They are under your command."

The party, increased to five now, returned to the ship, where Arcot
showed the men the details of the ray pistols, and how to use them. The
control for direction of operation was rather intricate in these early
models, and required considerable explanation. The theoretical range of
even these small hand weapons was infinity in space, but in the
atmosphere the energy was rather rapidly absorbed by ionization of the
air, and the dispersion of the beam made it ineffective in space over a
range of more than thirty-five miles.

Again entering the little molecular motion car, they went at once to the
great hull of the fallen ship. They inspected it cautiously from
overhead before going too close, for the dreadnought, obviously, had
landed without the terrific concussion that the others