There was a ship, coming toward him!
For a moment the reason in his mind tottered on a balance. Doubt assailed him. Was this the Ghost Ship come to torment him again? But no phantom this! It was a life and blood rocket ship from Earth! Starlight shone on it and not through it! Its lines, window, vents were all solid and had none of the ghost-like quality he remembered seeing in the Ghost Ship in his youth.
For another split second he thought that perhaps he, too, like Dobbin, had gone mad and that the ship would vanish just as it approached him.
The tapping of the space-telegrapher reassured him.
"CALLING SPACE SHIP MARY LOU," the message rapped out, "CALLING SPACE SHIP MARY LOU."
With trembling fingers that he could scarcely control, old Willard sent the answering message.
"SPACE SHIP MARY LOU REPLYING. RECEIVED MESSAGE. THANK GOD!"