It was most difficult to arrive at location in space, for what on Earth appeared as groups and constellations by reason of being viewed in ‘line of sight’ ceased to be such when amongst them. Finally, Rollsborough said to Dennis, “How would it be to ‘wave’ to Earth, and inquire if they observed the phenomenon of the new satellite of Venus? If they have had it under observation, and if they know where it has gone?” At once this wise suggestion was carried into effect, and a few hours later came the answer,—“For a short time preceding the date given, Venus was scarcely visible here, being very low down in Sagittarius, and was an evening star. She set twenty minutes after the sun, gradually extending the time to two hours as she slowly passed into Capricornus. She was at the opposite side of the sun from Earth, and was most brilliantly illumined; though small, her disc was so exceedingly and unusually bright as to excite general and keen examination, especially as she was moving a little to the south of Saturn. They being so near together, the effect was very marked, and, entering the small space between the two planets, there appeared a new object which we took to be a moon, either of Venus or Saturn. For ten days after that, the weather prevented further observation, the skies being overshadowed with clouds. On the eleventh day the light was bad, though better; Saturn was too near the sun for successful observation, and the extra moon was not noticed. Then he passed behind the sun (in conjunction) and became invisible for five weeks. Venus was obliterated by thick clouds and for several days no observation was possible, then the sky cleared, and Venus was passed by Luna, but no new object was visible. Can you explain the new object?” There the message ended and left them in the same difficulty as before. Though from Earth, Saturn and Venus had the appearance of being close together, when viewed from the ship in space their great distance apart could be realised, but could Saturn, at his enormous distance, have wrested a planet from Venus, who was comparatively close to the sun? It did not seem possible. Or had the sun drawn the new planet to his surface, it being between him and Venus? If so, then search could not, of course, be successful, no matter how protracted, for the world would but have swollen a small portion of the sun-sea, scarcely making any difference. “Do you think it was merely drawn into the orbit of Venus for the time being, and then flung out, to go travelling onward?” asked Dalton. “It is impossible to say,” responded Rollsborough. “In the time since we left many things may have happened, meteor-swarms and dozens of other things may have drawn it away.” “Are the fellows worth troubling about?” debated Field. “Considering their offence, are we justified in wasting time looking for them?” “Perhaps not,” said Dennis, “but we must get them if at all possible.”