Part 4 (1/2)

The spiralled figures inside the fence had stopped at sound of the voice and were waiting for us to comply with the order from the s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p.

More of the brigands in their electric resistors were advancing through the lightning bolts which crackled noisily. The powerful voltage danced and played upon the spirals, disappearing into the ground.

Cragley paused, undecided. Lines of broken resolve creased his face.

Previously, he had remained strong and stubborn in the face of overwhelming adversity when chances were slim. There now remained not even the slimmest of chances, and stubborn courage yielded to reason.

”I guess the game's up, Quentin.” He turned to regard his under officer in speculation.

Quentin waited for his captain's orders. Again came the voice from the outlaw craft in its strident tones. They were tinged with a touch of impatience.

”Show yourselves inside of one minute, or else be executed at once!

Unless----”

”Hold out!” cried a new voice from the speaker, breaking in upon the first voice. ”You have friends on----”

Then came sounds of scuffling. To our ears came imprecations and curses.

”Don't go out there!” warned the second voice in laboring gasps.

”Stay----”

With a sudden snap, the speaker was cut off. Nothing more was heard. For a moment the lightning bolts comprising the electric fence flashed out--then reappeared. A few seconds later they disappeared once more, returning shortly to flicker in a peculiar manner.

It was evident that some sort of a struggle was taking place inside the outlaw s.h.i.+p. The electric display crackled and sputtered louder than ever. With a sudden, explosive thunder clap, the four terminal posts blew to pieces.

The spiralled figures turned in alarm back toward their craft. One of them, hovering close to our haven of retreat, did not follow his comrades. Instead, he drew forth from a long side pocket a black object.

At first glance, it seemed shaped like a pistol. But it was much longer and was proportioned differently.

He waited patiently until several more of the brigands had returned to the s.h.i.+p. Raising the black weapon, he aimed carefully at his fellow outlaws. The man's strange actions amazed me. He was turning upon his own comrades. Several of the brigands fell backward off the deck of the outlaw craft.

Cragley, beside me, was speechless in surprise at the rapid succession of events. The outlaw's strange weapon which emitted no flash had us all wondering. Later, we discovered that it was a radium gun, a new instrument of destruction still in the experimental stage.

”Who is he?” voiced Cragley.

”Can't be the fellow we heard over the speaker,” observed Quentin. ”This man came through the electric fence with the first ones.”

”Somebody over there is pulling for us,” insisted Cragley, ”and the man with the black gun must be a friend, too.”

A flash darted out from the s.h.i.+p, hitting the spiralled figure operating his mystifying weapon. The spiral glowed brilliantly. The man inside the spiral remained unaffected, continuing to manipulate the k.n.o.b of his weapon. Something went wrong with it, for the outlaw who had so suddenly turned against his friends tinkered with it a moment, then threw it from him in disgust. Meanwhile, the brigands had ma.s.sed inside the s.h.i.+p.

With a loud crackling, the speaker's volume was thrown on again. An alarmed voice vibrated in our ears. Above the words came a rattling and banging--also the m.u.f.fled sound of shouting men.

”Jasper! Come t' the control room! I'm locked in! They're bustin' down the door! Bring that gun o' yours! Hurry, lad!”

Jasper looked upon his broken weapon, hesitated a moment, then picked it up--b.u.t.t foremost. Seizing it in cudgel fas.h.i.+on, he made for the s.h.i.+p.

”Come on!” roared Cragley exultantly. ”Now's our chance!”

We found our numbers reduced to ten, but every one of us leaped forward at Cragley's order, ready to stake everything on the one desperate, fighting chance which had come so unexpectedly. We had nearly overtaken the man we had heard addressed as Jasper when a crackling flame of lightning leaped out at us. A hissing roar smote our ear drums and we were temporarily dazzled by an intense light. The aim had been too high.

The electric charge had gone over our heads. The man in the control room had frustrated the attempt to electrocute us.