This was unfortunate. That guard could see all the deck clearly. He might be suspicious of George Prince wandering around; it would be difficult to get near enough to assail him. This cylinder, I knew, had an effective range of only some twenty feet.
Anita and I were swiftly whispering. It was necessary now to decide exactly what we were to do; once under observation outside, there must be no hesitation, no fumbling.
"Coniston is sharpest, Gregg. He will be the hardest to get near."
The languid-spoken Englishman was the one Anita most feared. His alert eyes seemed to miss nothing. Perhaps he was suspicious of this George Prince—Anita thought so.
"But where is Miko?" I whispered.
The brigand leader had gone below a few moments ago, down into the hull-corridor. Anita had seized the opportunity to come to me.
"We can attack Hahn in the chart-room first," I suggested. "And get the other weapons. Are they still there?"
"Yes. But Gregg, the forward deck is very bright."
We were approaching the asteroid. Already its light like a brilliant moon was brightening the forward deck-space. It made me realize how much haste was necessary.
We decided to go down into the hull-corridors. Locate Miko. Fell him, and hide him. His non-appearance back on deck would very soon throw the others into confusion, especially now with our impending landing upon the asteroid. And under cover of this confusion we would try and release Snap.