ked off
scale at once as there was of his biting a cruiser in half with bare
teeth.

MacFife's voice came on the air. "Foster, switch to Federation
frequency."

Rip did so. "This is Foster, Commander."

"Lad, it's a pity for ye to miss the show. I'm sending a boat for ye."

"The sun will get it!" Rip exclaimed.

"Never fear, lad. It won't get this one. Now, switch back to universal
and listen in."

Rip did so in time to catch the Connie commander's voice. "... and I
refuse to believe such a story! Great Cosmos, do you think I am a fool?"

"Of course not," the Frenchman replied. "You are not such a fool as to
refuse a simple request to check our instruments."

The _Sagittarius_ commander was right. Rip understood the strategy.
Equipment sometimes did go out of operation in space, and Connies had
no hesitation in asking Federation cruisers for help, or the other way
around. Such help was always given, because no commander could be
sure when he might need help himself.

"I agree," the Connie commander said with obvious reluctance. "You may
send a boat."

MacFife's Scotch burr broke in. "Federation SCN _Aquila_ to Consolidation
Sixteen. Mister, my instruments are off scale, too. I'll just send them
along to ye, and ye can check them while ye're doing the _Sagittarius_!"

"I object!" the Connie bellowed.

"Come, now," MacFife burred soothingly. "Checking a few instruments won't
hurt ye."

A small rocket exhaust appeared, leaving the _Aquila_. The exhaust grew
rapidly, more rapidly than that of any snapper-boat. Rip watched it,
while keeping his ears tuned to the space conversation.

"Surely sending boats is too much of a nuisance," the French commander
said winningly. "We will come alongside."

"It's a trick," the Connie growled. "You want me to open my valves, and
then your men will board us and try to take over my ship!"

"My friend, you have a suspicious mind," Galliene replied smoothly. "If
you wish, arm your men. Ours will have no weapons. Train launchers on the
valves, so our men will be annihilated before they can board if you see a
single weapon."

This was going a little far, Rip thought, but it was not his affair, and
he didn't know exactly what MacFife and Galliene had in mind.

The _Aquila's_ boat arrived with astonishing speed. Rip saw it flash in
the sunlight and knew he had never seen one like it before. It was a
perfect globe, about twenty feet in diameter. Blast holes covered the
glob