They began to split up, starting along the chasm in both directions, searching carefully for Cheerly and the radite,
"By heaven, Nison, your idea worked!” panted John Thorn. “Quick, now — we've got to get back to the meteorite-mountain. That's where Cheerly will have headed with the radite."
"There's nothing for us to fear, since Stilicho and his men hold Cheerly's ship and crew prisoner,” Sual Av gasped.
"Cheerly must know something has happened to his ship,” Thorn retorted. “That Uranian is a devil for cleverness."
Thorn helped Lana as they scrambled down the rook wall, to the floor of the chasm.
And as they started at a trot back eastward, he half-supported, half-carried the staggering girl.
* * *
Their two radioactive allies, Nison and the Martian, led the way out of the barren mountains. They saw none of the glowing horde, which had split in all directions to search furiously for the takers of the radite.
Lana, suffering from exhaustion and nervous reaction, could hardly walk. Yet she trudged valiantly with the last of her strength as they hastened over the dim desert.
"John, if we get the radite away from Cheerly now, will it be in time to save the Alliance?” she panted.