Then Garry realized what had happened, and the thought of the costly mistake he had almost made sickened him for a moment. Patch’s radio antenna had evidently been damaged in his fall, making his call for help seem farther off than he really was. Garry stooped down, his hands closing over the gloved hand he had nearly knocked from its precarious position. “Garry!” Patch said, his voice still a little hysterical. “I’m hanging on a cliff of some kind, and my feet aren’t touching anything! Please, Garry, get me up before I let go! I feel my hands slipping!” “Hold on, Patch! Try to keep holding! I’ve got to get a foothold or we both may go over!” Garry quickly kicked loose dust from underfoot and brushed it some more with his gloved hands. Then he leaned over and reached for Patch’s clinging hands. He slid his own hands below Patch’s wrists, closing his fingers about those wrists for dear life. “I’ve got a good hold, Patch,” Garry panted. “Brace your feet and help me as I try to pull you up. Ready?” “Ready, Garry!” came Patch’s weak voice. Making sure his feet were well anchored, Garry pulled with all his might. For an instant Patch’s body resisted him like a dead weight. Then, with an almost superhuman effort, Garry was able to hoist him up ... up ... up and over onto the ledge safely. Then both of them slumped exhaustedly on the rocky brink. The boys were quiet for several seconds as they caught their breath in the pitch darkness and considered how close it had come to being all over for Patch. “Garry,” his grateful friend managed to say finally, “I’ll make it up to you. If we ever get out of this alive, I’ll make it up to you.” “Never mind that,” Garry said. “You didn’t lose anything when you fell? You’ve still got the extra oxygen tanks?” A dead silence followed, and that silence caused Garry to feel a clutch of dread. “You lost them, didn’t you?” he asked with a hopeless groan. Garry heard a faint sob over his helmet receiver. Then Patch fairly wept out the words he next spoke: “Yes, yes, I did! Push me back in, Garry! Push me back in! We’re lost for sure now!” 18. STRANGE DISCOVERY It took a long time for the boys to pull themselves together after experiencing this final fateful blow. Down into the depths with those precious air cylinders had gone whatever chance the boys had for escaping alive from the cruel moon and for saving their friends. Patch broke down and Garry felt just as badly himself, but he managed to hold back the tears. “Garry,” Patch burst out, “we may as well go back and die with the others now! There’s no use at all in going on any farther!” His voice still sounded far off to Garry because of the damaged antenna.