Then a brief interval saw the Planeteers inside that air-lock, tearing off the space-suits they had worn as they jumped the gap between ships. And the Venture was roaring on through space with all the power of its great tubes, away from Saturn.
"I thought you boys were dead sure!” Stilicho Keene was babbling wildly to the Planeteers. “It's been days we've waited here. But where's Lana? You didn't leave the lass behind?"
The old pirate's wrinkled red face and rheumy eyes were tense as his cracked voice shrilled the question. And Ool, the space dog, looked up at Thorn with pleading eyes.
"Cheerly has Lana,” Thorn said hoarsely. “He sailed in a navel cruiser for Erebus, days ago. He has Lana's secret now, but he took her along in case she knew more than she'd told."
"Erebus?” Old Stilicho's wrinkled face became ghastly. “God in heaven, if he's taken the lass there…"
"We've got to follow them, Stilicho!” Thorn cried. “For if Cheerly gets what he wants on Erebus, he'll come back, but he'll never bring Lana back."
The old man's faded eyes blazed. “We'll follow to Erebus, yes! I'd follow the lass to hell itself!"
They climbed hastily to the control-room, where Stilicho seized the controls from the Jovian pilot on duty there.
"Calling Titan and Iapetus bases!” a Saturnian voice was yelling from the audio-speaker excitedly. “All cruisers out in net-patrol. The Planeteers are loose and breaking for space!"
"They can't catch us now!” Gunner cried fiercely.