asteroid, and saw that now, where
the massive body of rock had been poised, there was nothing. Only the
brilliant light of mid-afternoon, the cloudless sky. Carse swept the
glass around. The search was fruitless. The heavens were bare. The
asteroid had gone.

In half a minute Carse had reasoned out the disappearance, saw the
consequences and made the inevitable decision. Gone was the torpor of
sleep, the weariness of the laboratory; this was a crisis, and this
was his work. During the operations, he had been able merely to obey
orders and do manual work. Now he assumed command.

"Your lapse has imperilled us all," he said curtly to Thorpe. "From
now on we're in great danger. Stay here and keep on watch, and sound
the alarm immediately if the asteroid reappears."

"Yes, sir. I--I'm sorry--"

The adventurer cut him off with a frigid nod and ran on silent, rapid
feet to the laboratory, where both Ban Wilson and Friday lay fast
asleep. Roughly Carse shook them into consciousness. Trained to
shipboard routine and the sudden emergencies of space, they needed but
little time to return to full wakefulness. In staccato sentences the
new situation was outlined to them.

"The asteroid's gone. That means danger to everything here. We will
have to evacuate. Ban, wake all the men, including Ku Sui and his
assistants, then come to me for further orders. Friday, see that
Leithgow's ship is ready for instant departure. Quick!"

Alarmed, but without questions, the two parted on their separate
errands. Carse went to the room where Eliot Leithgow lay asleep.

* * * * *

The pallor and weariness of the old scientist's face were emphasized
by the alarming news his friend brought him, but he took it with
spirit, and his voice was level and controlled as he asked:

"What does it mean, Carse? What must we do?"

"Leave, Eliot, and at once. We have no choice. Our danger while here
is immense. The asteroid, in the hands of enemies, could crush us like
a fly, simply by coming down on the top of the hill."

"But who could have taken it? There was no one on it, was there?"

The Hawk said wryly: "I thought not, but well, you remember the secret
panel in Dr. Ku's laboratory?"

"Through, which he escaped before? Yes."

"I suspected that he might have someone hidden behind it, and I
intended to question him when he was under the V-27, but in the
terrific rush of things it slipped my mind. Sheer carelessness