"But," panted the messenger, "it is no plea for clemency, but something else ... something more important...." All eyes were riveted on the curious tableau. O'Day's whisper grated softly in Gary's ear. "O.Q., Gary, now's the time. Their attention is divided. We'll never have a better chance." But Lane grasped his companion's wrist tightly, hopefully. "No, Lark, no! Not now. There's more here than meets the eye. Look--the Chief Councillor's face--" And indeed, a sudden and striking change had overswept the countenance of the Jovian judge as he scanned the message thrust into his hand by the excited messenger. His brows drew together. He turned to his associates and growled, "But what is this? Have the men of Earth gone mad? "This message says," he read aloud, "_'If Liberty and crew, including group of Earth scientists, arrive on your planet, in the name of all humanity offer them every possible assistance. Investigation proves their theories are absolutely correct. Sun is dwindling rapidly to dwarf-star stage. Planet Mercury tottering in its course; may plunge into Sun hourly. Entire solar system hovering on brink of dreadful disaster.'_" "Thank God!" The grateful cry ripped itself unbidden from Gary Lane's throat. His tightened nerves relaxed in a warmth of justification, and his eyes were bright with happiness. "Thank God, they've seen the truth at last! Now, if it is only not too late!" The Jovian councillor turned to him, puzzled. "Too late, Earthman? Too late for what? What does this mean?" * * * * * And so, at last, Lane was given an opportunity to explain that which he had not been permitted to tell before. He told the true and only reason for their journeying hither, and pointed out the vital importance of the _Liberty's_ mission. The Council heard him through. Before the earnestness of his eyes, the burning ardor of his voice, their doubts seemed to melt away. Save for one member of the court who grumbled dourly, "This is all very well, and a pretty tale, but to me it has the smell of a prefabricated plot. So you want our cherished secret, eh, Earthman? The secret of achieving speed greater than that of light?" "I not only want it," said Gary earnestly, "but must have it. Time is growing perilously short." "And how do we know that this message is not a trick of your Earth government to save your spying hides? We have no reason to trust Earth." Lane bit his lip. There it was again, the old, oft-told story of Earth's greed and selfishness now working against the better interests of all the planets. "No, maybe not," he acknowledged, "but--" "But--" interrupted Flick Muldoon, always to be depended upon in an emergency for clear and logical reasoning--"All our talk ain't worth a tinker's dam. The proof lies in the sky above us. Tell your astronomers to turn their 'scopes on Mercury. What's happening there should prove or disprove that radiogram's honesty."