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A gong sounded A moment later adown Also the Ashley ship, sir!"

"See!" Captain Hart beat the table "Here come the jackals to the harvest! They can't wait to feed Wait till I confront them I'll make them cut me in on this feast--I will!"

Martin looked sick He stared at the captain

"Business, my dear boy, business," said the captain

Everybody looked up Two rockets swung down out of the sky

When the rockets landed they almost crashed

"What's wrong with those fools?" cried the captain, ju ships

The captain arrived The airlock door popped open on Burton's ship

A man fell out into their arms

"What's wrong?" cried Captain Hart

The round They bent over him and he was burned, badly burned His body was covered ounds and scars and tissue that was infla He looked up out of puffed eyes and his thick tongue moved in his split lips

"What happened?" de the man's arm

"Sir, sir," whispered the dying o, back in Space Sector Seventy-nine DFS, off Planet One in this system, our ship, and Ashley's ship, ran into a cosray from the man's nostrils Blood trickled from his mouth "Wiped out All crew Burton dead Ashley died an hour ago Only three survivals"

"Listen toman "You didn't come to this planet before this very hour?"

Silence