The Tindars stiffened and gasped as the full implication of what she meant hit them.
"Take the ship!" Miss Kanton was sobbing. "Both of you! Go on!"
"Don't be foolish!" Beta snapped. "Get into the ship and get the jets warm. We'll be there in a minute."
"But if you get the wrong one?" Miss Kanton said, trembling.
"The right one will be left back here," Alpha snapped. "Now get into the ship. We've only got a few minutes!"
Miss Kanton turned and ran. She climbed into the two-seater and jetted the rockets. As the tubes roared out a tongue of flame, over the horizon came a Digger, eating the soil, dashing towards the control tower.
"We both might be able to get into the ship...." Beta said.
"No. The seats are tailor-made. We'd never cram into them together," Alpha said. They stood looking at one another, wasting valuable seconds in their consternation. The Digger was looming larger and larger, roaring in a straight line for the control tower.
"Oh, Doyle...." Miss Kanton's dupe said, tears in her eyes.
"Shut up!" Alpha snapped. He whirled towards the thunder of the Digger. It was very near, swerving, slowly turning away from the control with a ponderous gyration.