"Lordy, suh," the Negro whispered, "Dr. Ku could hear all you said! He'll know where Master Leithgow's laboratory is!"
The Hawk smiled briefly. "No matter, Eclipse. I'm quite sure the information will avail him nothing. For this ride to the laboratory will be his last ride but one." He turned. "We're starting at once. Ban, you've bound him well?"
"If he can get out of those knots," grinned Wilson, "I'll kiss him on the mouth!"
The Eurasian's nostrils distended. "Then," he said. "I most certainly will not try. But Captain Carse, may I have a cigarro before we start on this journey?"
Carse had gone over so the space-stick and his eyes were on the visi-screen, but he now turned them to his old foe for a moment. "Not just now, Dr. Ku," he said levelly. "For it might be that all but two puffs of it would be wasted. Yes—later—if we survive these next few minutes."
The remark did nothing to ease the tension of their leaving. Ban Wilson could not restrain a question.
"Carse, are you going to risk atmospheric friction all the way to the laboratory?"
"No. Haven't time for that. Up and down—up into space, then down to the lab—high acceleration and deceleration."
He grasped the space-stick, then in neutral, holding the asteroid motionless in the valley. He glanced at the visi-screen again, checked over the main controls and tightened his hand on the stick.
"Ready everyone," he said, and gently moved the stick up and forward.