Loto; I can see him. And Jack is leading. It's all right;
they're safe. Thank God for that; they're safe, thank God!" The fervent
relief in his voice showed what a strain he had been under.

It was Jack; a moment more left no doubt of that. The Big Business Man
turned to the Chemist and Lylda, where they stood close together, and
laying a hand upon the shoulder of each said with deep feeling: "We have
all come through it safely, my friends. And now the way lies clear
before us. We must go back, out of this world, to which we have brought
only trouble. It is the only way; you must see that."

Lylda avoided his eyes.

"All through it safely," she murmured after him. "All safe
except--except my father." Her arm around the Chemist tightened. "All
safe--except those." She turned her big, sorrowful eyes towards the
beach, where a thousand little mangled figures lay dead and dying. "All
safe--except those."

It was only a short time before the adventurers from Orlog arrived, and
Loto was in his mother's arms. The Very Young Man, with mixed feelings
of pride at his exploit and relief at being freed from so grave a
responsibility, happily displayed Aura to his friends.

"Gosh, I'm glad we're all together again; it had me scared, that's a
fact." His eye fell upon the beach. "Great Scott, you've been having a
fight, too? Look at that." The Big Business Man and the Doctor outlined
briefly what had happened, and the Very Young Man answered in turn with
an account of his adventures.

Aura joined her sister and Loto. The Chemist after a moment stood apart
from the others thinking deeply. He had said little during all the
events of the afternoon and evening. Now he reached the inevitable
decision that events had forced upon him. His face was very serious as
he called his companions around him.

"We must decide at once," he began, looking from one to the other, "what
we are to do. Our situation here has become intolerable--desperate. I
agree with you," his glance rested on the Big Business Man an instant;
"by staying here we can only do harm to these misguided people."

"Of course," the Big Business Man interjected under his breath.

"If the drugs should ever get out of our possession down here,
immeasurable harm would result to this world, as well as causing our own
deaths. If we leave now, we save ourselves; although we leave the Oroids
ruled by Targo. But without the power of the drugs, he can do only
temporary harm. Event