For the most part, the vessel had proceeded without producing any sense of motion. A violent shift would have dislodged everything loose in the shell--the scaffolding, ladders, the temporarily secured electric lights--and yet there had been nothing of the sort. Once in a while, they felt a trembling jar. This probably was caused by the impact of a meteorite. But thus far, no such bodies had pierced the heavy insulation of resistant clay. There was now, however, quite definite indication that they were moving in space. Observations taken at intervals showed that the "moon" was coming closer. Presently, the irregularities on the edge of the disc were apparent to the eye, and shadowy configurations on its rocky surface could be discerned. After some days, Marlin developed a new suspicion. He checked his observations carefully. There was no doubt about it. They were no longer approaching the mass but were drifting in an orbit around it--either that, or it was rotating around the sphere. And about this time he made a further discovery. A second body had appeared in the heavens--and presently there was a third. "There's only one explanation," he reported tersely at a mealtime gathering. "We're in the asteroid belt." DuChane alone seemed to know what this meant. "Dave seems to be jumping at conclusions, but assuming that he's right, we've swung out beyond the orbit of Mars--somewhere between it and Jupiter. There's a region of small planets, masses of rock, ranging up to four or five hundred miles in diameter. Supposed to be fragments of a planet that broke up somehow." "Or didn't quite jell in the making," corrected Marlin. "I believe that's the modern scientific view. More than nine hundred of them have been charted though I've no doubt there must be innumerable smaller fragments." "What's the chance of our gettin' through without bein' hit?" demanded McGruder. "How should I know? As a matter of fact, I don't think we're on our way through. Looks as if we've established an orbit--at least around that big one." "Anything we can do about it?" Marlin regarded him impersonally. "Nothing," he said. "Exactly nothing. We've no more control over our fate at present than we've had since we started." Sally gave a mirthless laugh. "That makes it swell! All we've got to do is wait--and wait--and see what this old ball intends to do with us." Pearl volunteered a remark which, in its unexpectedness, caused them all to look at her. "So many stones," she breathed. "Lonely stones." DuChane leaped to his feet. "The girl knew!" he shouted. "She knew! We thought she was talking gibberish, but she was telling us where we'd wind up. Stones! Lonely stones! Asteroids!" "Of course Pearl knows!" crowed Maw Barstow. "Didn't I tell you?" Norma rarely took part in their discussions. She spoke now with bitter conviction. A flush of intensity lighted her wan features.