Aunt Maud would stand for no more. She bustled between the invalid and his listeners, shooed them away angrily. "Run along, now. This man needs sleep and quiet. Go 'way!" * * * * * But later, as Marberry slept the sleep of exhaustion, Greg called a council of war. "Ten miles," he said soberly. "If those creatures are only ten miles from here, we can expect an attack almost any day. Or moment. From now on, we must keep a watch at all times. No one must leave the cave alone." Hannigan said, "You reckon they'll find us, Greg? Titan's a big hunk of dirt." "They're savages. Savages can follow the faintest trails of wild animals, let alone the spoor of a frightened, sick man. They'll be here." Hannigan said, "There's one good hunk of news in the whole sorry mess. Marberry said him and his companions sent out radio SOS calls for three solid weeks. Till their radio run dry. Maybe somebody picked up one of them calls. Maybe there's help on the way right now." "Radio. Speaking of radio, Sparks, how about that crystal receiving set you were working on? Is it finished?" Sparks smiled sourly. "Finished your sainted sandals! It's all washed up. Listen to this!" He stepped to the hodge-podge of wires and coils on which he had been laboring, adjusted it. From its diaphragm came dismal sounds. Squawks, squeals, quavering vibrations. "Static," said Breadon. "Double it," gloomed Hannigan, "and add a thousand. The worst kind of static. An electrical disturbance field." Greg frowned. "But that can't be, Sparks. There's no electricity around here. No generating plants or--" "It can't be," snorted Sparks, "but it is. I don't know what makes it act thataway. Maybe it's the H-layer of this cockeyed satellite. Sun spots, maybe. Whatever it is, it sure gums up my machine." He stared at the tiny set helplessly. Greg stirred himself. "Well, then we'll have to look forward to fighting this battle without hope of assistance. Andrews, I want you and Tommy to inspect the cave-mouth barrier immediately, see that it's in perfect shape and reinforce it. Ralph, you and Sparks drive the livestock into the small cave so they'll be hidden. 'Tina, the fuel reserve?" "Complete, Greg." "Good! I'm going out to stand the first watch. If you need me, I'll be--" At that moment a small figure, bristle-haired with excitement, came scampering into the cave. "Greg!" cried Tommy O'Doul. "Greg--they're down there! On the plain. I seen them. And I--I think they seen me, too! They're heading up this way!" * * * * * A half hour later, Greg, flanked by a tight-jawed little band of compatriots, crouched in the bottle-mouth of an altered cavern.