Heartened, he made inquiries. The Martian space-patroller came every month or so, to drop a new exile. It always landed on the plain where Parr had first set foot to the asteroid. That gave him an idea, and he held conference in the early evening, with Sadau, Shanklin, and one or two others of the higher grade. "We could capture that craft," urged Parr. "There's only a skipper and three Martians--" "Yes, with pistols and ray throwers," objected Shanklin. "Too big a risk." "What's the alternative?" demanded Sadau. "You want to stay here and turn monkey, Shanklin? Chief," he added to Parr, "I said once that I was on your side. I'll follow wherever you lead." "Me, too," threw in Jeffords, a sturdy man of middle age who had been sentenced for killing a Martian in a brawl. "And me," wound up Haldocott, a blond youth whose skin was burned darker than his hair and downy beard. "We four can pull it off without Shanklin." But Shanklin agreed, with something like good humor, to stand by the vote of the majority. The others of the community assented readily, for they were used to acting at the will of their wiser companions. And at the next arrival of the Martian patroller--an observer, posted by Parr in a treetop, reported its coming whole hours away--they made a quick disposal of forces around the rocket-scorched plain that did duty for a landing field. Parr consulted for a last moment with Sadau, Shanklin, Jeffords and Haldocott. "We'll lead rushes from different directions," he said. "As the hatchway comes open, the patroller will stall for the moment--can't take off until it's airtight everywhere. I'll give a yell for signal. Then everybody charge. Jam the tubes by smacking the soft metal collars at the nozzles--we can straighten them back when the ship's ours. Out to your places now." "The first one at the hatch will probably be shot or rayed," grumbled Shanklin. "I'll be first there," Parr promised him. "Who wants to live forever, anyway? Posts, everybody. Here she comes in." Tense, quick-breathing moments thereafter as the craft descended and lodged. Then the hatchway opened. Parr, crouching in a clump of bushes with two followers, raised his voice in a battle yell, and rushed.