in the hand-language, and handed the end of the line
to Sitar, who held it while the two men explored the fragments of the
strange vessel, gathering up various things of interest as they came
upon them.

Back in the control-room, Dunark and Sitar let their pressure decrease
gradually to that of the terrestrial vessel and removed the face-plates
from their helmets.

"Again, oh Karfedo of Earth, we thank you for our lives," Dunark began,
gasping for breath, when Seaton leaped to the air-gauge with a quick
apology.

"Never thought of the effect our atmospheric pressure would have on you
two. We can stand yours all right, but you'd pretty nearly pass out on
ours. There, that'll suit you better. Didn't you throw out your zone of
force?"

"Yes, as soon as I saw that our screens were not going to hold." The
Osnomians' labored breathing became normal as the air-pressure increased
to a value only a little below that of the dense atmosphere of their
native planet. "I then increased the power of the screens to the extreme
limit and opened the zone for a moment to see how the screens would hold
with the added power. That instant was enough. In that period a
concentrated beam, such as I had no idea could ever be generated, went
through the outer and inner screens as though they were not there,
through the four-foot arenak of the hull, through the entire central
installation, and through the hull on the other side. Sitar and I were
wearing suits...."

"Say, Mart, that's one bet we overlooked. It's a good idea, too--those
strangers wore them all the time as regular equipment, apparently. Next
time we get into a jam, be sure we do it; they might come in handy.
Excuse me, Dunark--go ahead."

"We had suits on, so as soon as the ray was shut off, which was almost
instantly, I phoned the crew to jump, and we leaped out through the hole
in the hull. The air rushing out gave us an impetus that carried us
many miles out into space, and it required many hours for the slight
attraction of the mass here to draw us back to it. We just got back a
few minutes ago. That air-blast is probably what saved us, as they
destroyed our vessel with atomic bombs and hunted down the four men of
our crew, who stayed comparatively close to the scene. They rayed you
for about an hour with the most stupendous beams imaginable--no such
generators have ever been considered possible of construction--but
couldn't make any impression upon you. Then they shut of