little adventure was sounded around.
_If_--that was the big word that stuck in Mike's mind.

An important facet of the problem was keeping Doree's morale high.
Mike enjoyed this. He learned all about her and there came a sudden
dizzy moment when he found himself kissing her. After that he was more
careful.

Then, at the last came the great thrill--abruptly, as all such things
come. Mike was puttering with the radio when Nicko turned from the
port to say, "Indescribably beautiful land ho! Luscious round planet
dead ahead at five o'clock!"

Mike leaped to the port. Smaller than Terra and with different
continental markings, but in other respects, quite similar. Nicko
jumped up and down clapping his four hands. Mike grabbed him and
lifted him in a bear-hug, scratching himself unmercifully on the
little Martian's sharp scales. Then he bolted aft to tell Doree.

There was no restraint in his kiss this time and for a few moments the
ship and the landfall vanished from their minds. They did not know
where they were; nor did they care.

Then Mike jerked himself back to the business at hand and rushed to
the pilot cabin; the dangerous business ahead of them.

* * * * *

They were already in range, being gripped and dragged down by the
planet's pull. Mike ordered Nicko and Doree into straps and buckled
himself into the pilot's chair.

He surveyed the fast-greatening planet. There would be no choice of
landing fields. Mike could only hope to bring the _Space Queen_ down
on dry land rather than in the center of an ocean.

She was responding to her fins now and Mike put her into a long
glide. Below, the land and the water separated themselves and Mike
studied the gray expanse below. Ocean.

Mike leveled out and struggled for altitude. There was minor response
as the atmosphere outside clawed at the hull, dragging it down,
heating it a dull red.

All during the trip he had fought inertia. Now his problem was
reversed, rapid acceleration being the demon of the moment. A helpless
shell rocketing toward a solid obstacle.

Mike felt a surge of relief as the streaming gray below turned to
racing green. At least they would not finish up trapped in a
submarine. But the land could be as lethal as the sea and now the
moment was at hand.

Mike angled the fins to their maximum. He yelled. "Contact!" Then he
prayed.

There was a great crash--and oblivion.

* * * *