Part 5 (1/2)

The brigand chieftain and his men were emerging from the bushes with the little boxes stacked in their arms.

”We're sunk now!” exclaimed Quentin.

Impulsively, the captain took a step in the direction of the s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p.

One of the outlaws guarding us stepped forward before the captain, bringing up his pistol. An evil light shone in his eyes, the fanatical gleam of the confirmed killer. It was the man's intention to kill Cragley where he stood.

But the act was never consummated. A blank look overspread the outlaw's face. His face held that strange expression which is so characteristic of the electrocuted man. He tottered and fell face downward. Uttering a cry of agony, another of the brigands fell, seizing frantically at a shaft which protruded from his body, a shaft of crude hammered metal.

While we all stared in surprise at the fallen men, Jasper Jezzan, quick to take stock of the situation, looked out over the high gra.s.s.

”Troglodytes!” he cried. ”That's one o' their metal darts, Ben!”

Substantiating Jasper's discovery, there came a chorus of yells from all sides. Heads came into sight above the tall gra.s.s. Darts flew thick and fast, yet every one found its mark. The cave men of Venus brandished their weapons preparatory to rus.h.i.+ng in upon us in overwhelming numbers.

The outlaws blazed away at the savages, but the latter proved to be difficult targets at which to aim. They were always on the move, running, hiding, reappearing to launch their deadly darts from another direction. Ledageree dropped his armful of the precious metal and screamed an order.

”Into the s.h.i.+p!”

It was then that I noticed the curious fact that none of the pa.s.sengers or crew of the _C-49_ had been hit. The remaining outlaws attempted to herd us into the s.h.i.+p. Their numbers rapidly diminished under the hail of darts cast at them so accurately by the troglodytes. Many of the cave men toppled over in death as the outlaws made a hit, but more came to take the places of those fallen.

”There's the white man--the renegade!” shouted Quentin.

Indeed, it was so. The troglodytes were led by the man who had broken into our camp on the previous night. Seizing a pistol from one of the fallen brigands, Ben hastily pointed it at the yelling cave dwellers who were running full force in our direction, the renegade at their head.

”No. Ben, no!” cried Jasper. ”They're friends!”

”It's Brady!” shouted one of the pa.s.sengers of the _C-49_. ”Chris Brady!”

”Impossible!” exclaimed Cragley. ”He's dead!”

”You're wrong, Cragley!” said I, also recognizing the renegade. ”That is Brady!”

I heard a noise behind me. I turned and looked. Ledageree and two of his surviving brigands were clambering aboard the s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p. The horde of troglodytes were nearly upon us. In trepidation, I moved backward.

Ledageree had gained the deck and was running in the direction of the air lock when Brady saw him, raising his pistol to fire.

From its concealment, I brought my gun into action. With hasty aim, I pulled the trigger, cursing myself for a wide miss. I was a bundle of nerves at the moment. Again I tried, this time drawing a fine bead.

Chris Brady was clearly outlined beyond the sights of my pistol.

A split second before I squeezed the trigger, Jasper Jezzan seized my arm. The flash of power shot harmlessly into the sky. Fiercely, I battled with the Hayko man, raising my pistol to brain him. But Cartley was upon me, and I went down under their combined weight. Something hit my head. Blackness engulfed me.

When I regained consciousness, I was aware of the babble of voices. My head throbbed and swam dizzily. A ring of troglodytes encircled me. I heard Chris Brady talking. Had he come back to life in some miraculous manner? I had seen him shot and buried. His words penetrated my dazed senses.

”When I saw that everything was stacked against me with no chances of proving my innocence, I tried an old trick, Cragley. I was afraid you'd get wise to me, but you didn't. I fell a split second before your men fired. I watched your lips for my signal. None of the shots touched me.

I played dead and was buried in the shallow grave. When you went, I dug myself out. I came pretty near smothering.”

”We buried you alive!”

”You did, and I'm thankful I was alive--and still am.”