"Oh, Carr, Carr!" Ora's voice called to him. "Mado is awake. He wants you."
Good old Mado! Why couldn't they just continue on their way as they had started out? Roaming the universe in search of other adventures! But the silvery tinkle of Ora's laughter reached his ears. She was irresistible! He forgot his doubts as he hurried to his friend's cabin.
ado was staring at the Europan maiden with a ludicrous expression of astonishment—gawping, Carr called it. And Ora was laughing at him.
"Your friend," she gurgled, "doesn't believe he's alive, or that I am, or you. Tell him we are."
Carr grinned. Mado did look funny at that. "Hello, old sock," he said, "had a bad dream?"
"Did I? Oh boy!" Mado rocked to and fro, his head in his hands. Then he displayed sudden intense interest. "Rapaju?" he asked. "His guards—the fleet—what's happened?"
"Ah ha! Now you know you're alive!" Carr laughed. "But the others are dead and gone. The fleet's gone to smash—and how!"
"But Carr. How did you do it? Tell me!"