Against this, our water was useless. We had no sand. Men labored to drag the lethal crates of explosive out of the danger zone; after that we went back at the ever-spreading fire. Chemicals did the trick finally. The last blaze succumbed to the stifling blanket of carbon dioxide, a clean-up crew methodically swept up the last of the charred débris. Thus died Krassner--but at what a cost! Ten of my men in the hospital, at least two of them seriously burned. Three whole bins of provisions gone forever, devoured by the hungriest of all foes. A binful of linens, clothing, blankets, burned to cinders. And every other room that had been in that aft section of the ship gutted! All these disasters paled into insignificance when, bandaged, cleaned, reclad, I went to visit Dr. Mallory. One look at his face and I knew that here was the heaviest price we were to pay for the destruction of our last mortal foe. Only Mallory's eyes were visible under the swaddling mask of bandage, and these were raw and bloodshot. But the ghost of a smile lighted these fine old eyes, and his voice, sieved through a layer of gauze, said weakly: "I ... reached there in time ... Brian, lad." "You did that," I told him huskily. "You saved us all, Doctor." "Not only us, but ... mankind. We _had_ to live, Brian. You must lead ... our people ... out of the wilderness." I said, "Not I, Doctor. _You._ You are the only man who can save us, reclaim the sleeping world--" He said, as though not hearing me, "It's a good ... thing I showed Maureen ... how to run the ship. Isn't it? Now she can take us to Luna. "Brian, boy ... find the notes ... in my desk. They'll help you. I believe ... you'll find the crater of Copernicus ... the best place to land. There will be air there. Thin, maybe. But air. In the underground grottoes ... should be ... water...." * * * * * A spasm shook him; his eyes closed for a moment in pain, then opened again. They were febrilely bright. "Most important of all ... Brian ... the spores. You must find a way ... to destroy them. Go back to Earth ... and awaken man ... to a new, a peaceful, world." He was silent so long that I cried out, "Doctor!" I couldn't say more. But he spoke again, and for the last time. "I am sure now ... Brian ... you will find the answer ... in chlorophyll. Keep after it. The fate of all ... mankind ... is in only your...." And that was all. His eyes closed, then, as if they had finally found peace. I turned away. Maureen covered his face tenderly. She came to my side, and her voice was soft. "He was right, Brian. You are our leader now. It is up to you to find the antidote for Earth's illness." I stared at her long and bitterly. My voice must have been harsh. "I! I, Maureen? Tell me--do you know the formula for chlorophyll? Do I? Does anyone aboard this ship, now _he_ is gone?"