An hour later Jak struggled up from his chair, staggering beneath the triple weight of his body at that acceleration. Seeing him, Jon called, "Wait, Owl, I'm just about to reduce to two G's." And in a moment the older boy found it easier to get the sandwiches and bottles of nourishing broth their mother had prepared before take-off, and distribute them to the others. Gratefully, they all ate and drank. "After we circle the sun and are en route to Three, I'll cut down to one gravity while we have a real meal," Jon promised. "Aw, let's not slow down just for ..." Jak began. "It won't cut our speed, just our acceleration, which means 'constantly added' speed," his father explained good-naturedly. "As soon as we've passed them all and are heading for home, we'll cut to one gravity for the greater part of the trip, but our speed will have been built up tremendously." "Oh, sure, I know that, but I forgot for the minute." As they circled toward the sun Mr. Carver studied it carefully in his visiplate. "Just about the same type of sun as Sol," he said after a while. "That's what I figured, only that it's about one quarter larger and heavier," Jon told him. "I was hoping you'd be well enough before we left to check it for me." "How close did you set your signal-sender orbit here?" "Ten million miles." "_Ten million!_" The man gasped, then laughed in relief as he thought the boy was just trying to spoof him. "Oh, come off it, Jon. How far out were you, really?" "Unless my figures are all wrong," Jon's voice held a hurt note, "it was really only ten million miles. You can check my calculations. The book says quote said orbit to be as nearly circular and as close to the discovered sun as possible unquote, so I sent us in on a van Sicklenberg throw-out orbit apexing at ten million." "Boy, that was really taking a chance. You don't need to repeat it for my benefit." "I wasn't planning to, sir." Jon grinned now. "We'll go around at about twenty million this time, but the same type of orbit as before." "That's better. Well, I think I'll go back to sleep. All of us should, I suggest." "Mother has already dropped off," Jak said softly, glancing toward the recline seat in which she lay. "Switch on the auto, Chubby, then douse the glotubes. 'Night, Father." And soon the little ship was speeding across the interplanetary wastes, guided only by the automatic pilot, while inside four weary people slept peacefully, knowing the mechanisms would guide them safely and surely to their distant, plotted destination. For, outside of a possible recurrence of the accident that had caused Mr. Carver's injury--and that was a billions-to-one chance that could not possibly strike them again--what was there to fear away out here? Nevertheless, it was the sudden ringing of an alarm bell that woke them all into instant, wondering wakefulness. 13