"What do we do now?"
"We go back to the ship and carry on from there. I don't know what steps we'll take after that, but at least we'll get back to shelter, out of this snow."
"Which way is the ship?"
"That," said Lamoureux, "is one question we can find the answer to." He spoke into his radio. "Haskell!"
Haskell was alert. "Yes, Captain."
"Keep your radio beam going. We're depending on it for direction."
"Sure, Captain."
Lamoureux snapped off the sending set. "Now let's get moving, before we freeze to death."
The return trip was a slow one. Their spirits were all low, even McCracken's. Lamoureux pictured the return to Earth, the eager, and then disappointed, reception, and the wave of ridicule that would follow their account of the difficulties they had encountered.
They stopped once to eat. Lamoureux estimated that they had supplies for another two and a half months left in the ship, not counting what would be needed for the return journey. They might as well stay here until those supplies were used up. They might possibly find Kalinoff during those two and a half months, although, with the Twilight Zone of the whole planet to look in, and no decent clues, not to mention the difficulties caused by the snow, the chances were none too bright. Nevertheless, they would have to do their best.