Rawson regarded the young man with wonder. "Sit down, Mr. Seymour." Rawson explained about the borax and his escape. "But what about you and Durk?"
The boy made circles in the sand with his foot. His eyes avoided the captain's. "I couldn't stand it, sir. My conscience. It wasn't right. You're the captain, no matter what Durk says."
"Thanks. Okay, let's get going."
Purposely they strode across the sand toward the space ship. But as they neared the top of the hill beyond which lay the space ship, they heard a series of loud explosions. Rawson recognized those sounds.
With a rush he was on top of the hill and staring at the space ship.
The explosions came from there. The ports were closed and there was no one on the bridge.
The ship was taking off!
Rawson's skeleton-like body shuddered in dismay. He yelled but he knew it was futile. No one could hear him above the roar of the rockets.
And if they did? Durk might find it convenient to report that the captain had been lost on the expedition.
For once in his life, Rawson admitted fear to himself—to be deserted on this waste planet!