Up to the side of the Cauphul drove the Lightning. There was no time to hook on with magnetic grapples or run out catwalks, for the League cruisers were coming up along the edge of the great meteor swarm in hot pursuit. The Lightning's starboard door was open, the silvery ship keeping even with the wreck only a few yards away.
"Jump for it!” Thorn yelled to his crew. “Hurry!"
Across the gap between ships shot space-suited figures like human projectiles, leaping toward the big open door of the Lightning. Those who missed the door grabbed lines that had been flung out, and were hauled in like floundering fish.
There was a thundering crash of metal as a whole section of the Cauphul's stern collapsed. The wreck sagged drunkenly in space, and the League cruisers were racing closer.
"This is getting a little too hot for even the Planeteers!” laughed Sual Av as he leaped.
Gunner Welk followed, and John Thorn jumped last. He felt himself hurtle floatingly across the gap toward the open door of the Lightning, infinity below and above him. Then he hit the edge of the door and a hand grasped his arm and pulled him in.
Instantly the Lightning sprang forward with renewed acceleration as its stern tubes blasted. The door was ground shut.
Thorn and his two comrades climbed to the control-room. When he entered it, a glance showed him that they were now pulling steadily away from their pursuers.
Lana Cain, her slender figure bulky in space-suit and helmet, was leaning beside the Jovian pilot at the firingkeys. She was listening intently to the constant buzzing from the section of the panel that received the navigation wave-signals.
"Turn ninety degrees outward, and fifteen degrees upward, Rimil!” exclaimed the girl. “That'll take us between swarms where they won't follow for long."