"I'm innocent!" exclaimed Brady heatedly. "I don't know these men!" "This contrivance was found hidden in your room, Brady! Communications between you and these men were also found!" Chris Brady fell silent. The evidence was overwhelming. Cragley turned to the other culprits. "Have either of you protests to make?" "We know when we're caught," growled Raynor, shooting a swift glance at Brady. "You've got the goods on us. We're not squawking." "You were taking orders from this man?" the captain inquired, pointing at Brady. Both Davy and Raynor replied in the affirmative, adding further proof against Brady. "Known him very long?" "Don't know him at all," replied Raynor, "only that he's the boss." "We've been taking orders from him since we left the earth," supplemented Davy. "He had us kill the radio equipment a little while before he set off the explosion." "And how did you expect to get away with the platinum?" "He's the only one of us who knows," replied Davy, nodding his head at Brady. "Brady, I suppose there'll be another ship along pretty soon--some of your friends from Deliphon. Now I see it all. Well, they won't find us, that's all. We won't be here." "I've no idea that...." "Pretty thorough, weren't you?" snapped Cragley. "But you slipped up a few notches! Thought there wouldn't be much left of the ship! Too careless, Brady! You three men are sentenced to death!" "A trial!" screamed Brady. "We're entitled to a trial!" "Not under the new interplanetary laws! This is far worse than mutiny, and you're on Venus now! You've had your trial!" CHAPTER II Grim retribution overhung the condemned men. It promised swift justice. Captain Cragley was the law. He dealt out the penalty according to the code governing interplanetary navigation. "We must get away from this vicinity in a hurry!" he informed Quentin. "You can bet your last coin there'll be a ship around pretty soon to pick up the platinum and these three men! If there's a battle, we haven't a chance in our present condition!" "Where'll we go?" asked Quentin. "Somewhere and hide?" "We'll head for Deliphon. It's a long, hard tramp, but it's our only chance. Get things ready to leave. Pack everything we'll want to take with us. Just before we start, we'll have this execution over with." Quentin immediately apprised the crew and passengers of the _C-49_ of Captain Cragley's intentions. He stated the fact that brigands were expected shortly, telling of what they would do to luckless passengers who fell into their hands. A second expedition was sent to the _C-49_ for food stores and various articles it was deemed necessary to carry along on the march.