Suddenly Terry stopped. An icy finger had passed over his brain. A wordless thought flashed into his consciousness.
"This is Chomby, Terryhall. Go back, or you will be unmercifully killed."
Cappy looked at Terry. The same thought had flashed through his brain.
"I am ahead of you, earthmen. I am waiting in front of the spaceship. In my hands I hold a flourobeam gun. You cannot pass me, earthmen!"
Cappy groaned.
"They're still two jumps ahead, Terry! They've outfigured us again. They knew we might get away by accident. So they put Chomby out here to intercept us and he's armed with our weapons!"
Terry was afraid. He knew the power of a flourobeam. He'd seen it blast rocks into powder and he knew that a man could never survive its charge. One blast from the gun could wipe out all trace of Terry and Cappy.
Terry's face paled. Then, suddenly, he moved forward.
"Come on, Cappy! You said I was yellow once. Let's see who's yellow now!"
"But that gun! This isn't being brave! It's foolhardy. The better part of valor is knowing when you're licked."