The Complete Saga of Don Hargreaves by Festus Pragnell

Author:Festus Pragnell [Pragnell, Festus]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-06-23T00:00:00+00:00

NOW I was reminded, I believe she did. But in the excitement I had forgotten. We had all forgotten.

So, we ail trooped to the little control-room. And, would you credit it? The sea-lion and the flamingo were seated at the controls, punching this lever, turning that wheel, guiding the ship. Making a good job of it, too.

Just as we got there they both left the controls, twittering and barking with relief, and rolled over the floor together, playing with each other. Looking out of a window, I saw that the spaceship was clear out of Mars, out in free space. She had come out of the great exit cavern of the planet. Danger was over for the time being.

“What is the meaning of all this?” Usulor demanded.

The sea-lion got out the list of letters he used to communicate with me and pointed to letters, spelling out Martian words. He said that the two animals, finding themselves unable to stop the ship, had gone at once to the control-room to guide it on the only safe course.

“But I thought I saw you flying away,” I said to Olla.

“It was probably the parachute of the real criminal that you saw,” Bommelsmeth answered.

The two animals had been quicker in thought and action than any of us human beings. That fact had saved all our lives. It seemed odd.

Usulor leaped for the radio-television. In a moment or so, on the amazingly efficient Martian network, which never seems to fail, he was talking to his police chiefs, army chiefs and astronomers. We could all follow.

Police officials were most apologetic. No notice had been given them of the visit of the royal party to the museum, there had been no reason to anticipate danger.

“Can that,” barked Usulor. “Have you any news of anybody jumping out of this ship?”

“Jumping out?” The Police Chief looked shocked. “I’ll have a search for the body. If anything is left of it. I hope it wasn’t the Princess, or Prince Don, or Vans.”

“Fool!” Usulor roared. “Can’t you see them in the screen, alive and well? And it wasn’t suicide. He went down by parachute.”

“Parachute? Oh, yes, I see.”

“Listen to this, and get this idea well into your thick head. You’ve got to find me that parachute-jumper, alive or dead. Because he is the criminal who tried to murder us all.”

“Certainly, Your Majesty. But it’ll be difficult. He may have come down in an unlighted spot.”

It is always night in the underground world of Mars, There is no daylight.

A world of darkness lit by lamps and searchlights. That is one reason why man-eating snakes and criminals are such problems there. As the Police Chief said, if the parachute-jumper landed in a dark place he would probably get away.

The idea that the criminal might get away infuriated Usulor.

“Did nobody see him jump? What were the air-observers doing with their telescopes? Operator! Give me the Observers!”

In a moment he was talking to the Observer Chief.

“Yes, Your Majesty! Directly news was received of the premature launching of the ship, our telescopes began at once to search for it.

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