In the morning he told his father about it. Professor Maddox could not believe it, either. "You must be mistaken, Ken," he protested. "These men are two of our leading citizens. They're both on the Mayor's food committee. You suffered a pretty terrible shock, and you'll have to realize the effects of it may be with you, and may upset your thinking, for quite a while." "Not about this! I know who it was. I recognized their voices in the dark. Jed Tucker admitted his identity when I called his name. If there's anything gone from the warehouse, Sheriff Johnson will find it in their possession." The Sheriff had to wait for permission from Dr. Adams, but he came around that afternoon, and was equally unbelieving. He advanced the same arguments Professor Maddox had used about the character of those Ken accused. "These men will do something far worse, if you don't stop them," said Ken. "He's right, there," said Professor Maddox. "Those who did this, menace the whole community. They've got to be found." "We'll make fools of ourselves," said the Sheriff, "if we go to Tucker's and Allen's, and demand to search the premises. We've got to have more than your word, Ken; some evidence of their positive connection with the crime." "I just know I saw and heard them. That's all." "Listen," the Sheriff said suddenly, "there's one man in this town that's really out to get you: Frank Meggs. Don't you think it could be Meggs and some of his friends?" "No. It wasn't Frank Meggs." * * * * * Art Matthews came around later that same day. "You look worse than one of these engines that's got itself full of stardust," he said. "You must have been off your rocker, prowling around back alleys in the middle of the night!" Ken grinned. "Hi, Art. I knew you'd be full of sympathy. What's going on outside while I've been laid up? Say--I don't even know how long I've been here! What day is it?" "Tuesday. Not that it makes any difference any more." "Tuesday--and it was Saturday when I was working with the spectroscope. I've been here three days!" "A week and three days," said Art Matthews. "You were out cold for three days straight, and they wondered if your bearings were ever going to turn again." Ken lay back in astonishment. "Nobody's told me anything. What's happening outside?" "It's going to be a rough winter," Art Matthews said, grimly. "Snow's started heavy, two weeks earlier than usual. I understand Professor Douglas thinks it's got something to do with the comet dust in the air." "That figures. What about the fuel supply?" "In pretty sad shape, too. So far, the stockpile is big enough for about a week and a half of real cold. They laid off woodcutting for three days to spend all the time converting oil burners, and making new heaters out of 50-gallon barrels and anything else they could find. It's going to be a mighty cold winter--and a hungry one." Ken nodded, but he seemed to be thinking of something else.