"But Garrity, are you absolutely sure? It can't be! It mustn't be!" The clacking voice was regretful but positive. I felt a thin, cold edge running up and down my spine. Now I look back upon it, I think I guessed what Garrity was saying even before Biggs turned to us, his eyes wide with sympathy and sorrow. "My friends," he said in a choked voice, "forgive me for what I must say. Your lot is irrevocably cast with ours. The strain on the motors has burnt out several vital units. There is not time enough now to repair them. The temporal deflector is--useless!" That was a jolt. The way my several comrades took the message was the measure of their characters. Hallowell cried out sharply, began to scream protests in a frightened voice until Prexy--fat, staid, stuffy old H. Logan, himself--silenced him with a backhander across the mouth. "That will do, Hallowell!" snapped MacDowell. And he seemed to grow three inches. It was a mile in my estimation. "I think, Lieutenant Biggs," he said, "we need no further apologies. We are not afraid to die with you." I forgot to dislike the old guy then. I loved him a little bit for that. And I liked Tomkins' reaction, too. The little observatory technician sighed wistfully. "It's too bad, though. I should have liked to take back to our time a knowledge of some of the marvels we have seen here." The detective said nothing. He still didn't seem to know what the hell it was all about. But Helen MacDowell was as game as her old man. She said, "We're not licked yet. I still think Hank--I mean, Mr. Cleaver--will find a way out of this." Biggs said gently, "I'm afraid not, Mrs. Cleaver. This is the end for all of us." Helen's eyes darkened suddenly. "_Mrs._ Cleaver! My dear lieutenant! I'll thank you not to couple my name with that of this--this person! What ever made you think I was his wife? I wouldn't marry him if he were the last man on earth--" And then Lancelot Biggs did a strange thing! For a startled moment he stared at Helen MacDowell incredulously. Then he loosed a terrific whoop. And I don't mean whisper. "_Eeee-yow!_" he howled. "You and Hank aren't married?" "Why, of course not!" "You--you haven't any children?" Helen turned brick-red. "After _all_, Lieutenant--" she began stiffly. "But, _really_!" I don't think Biggs heard her. For he had leaped to Cleaver's side, was pounding him enthusiastically upon the back and shoulders. "It's all right, then! You understand--it's all right! Get those brain-cells to work, Hank, old boy! It's in the bag! _Eeee-yowee!_" And Hank Cleaver, from the depths of a brown study, said suddenly, "Say, looka here--I been thinkin'--" CHAPTER V Minus Math Lancelot Biggs said feverishly, "Don't think, Hank--act! Anything you say is all right by me. You're in command here! Give your orders!"