"Oh, yes." Ross in his agitation had forgotten. "Well, signal Ships
Two, Three, Four and Five to sheer off the Cavern and return to Peak
Four!"
The man sprang to obey. Ross turned to order the course changed. But
the crashing din that followed silenced him. His body hurtled against
the stanchion, and suddenly he found his arms about the Princess
Illeria.
* * * * *
Her body was soft to his touch, her silky hair caressed his cheek, her
breath sweet on his face. But he pushed her aside, and cried out to the
helmsman, "How does she fly?"
The helmsman, craning his neck as he curled an arm about the wheel,
shouted back, "On even keel, sir, but she won't steer!"
Ross pushed the Princess unceremoniously from him and stood erect. He
rushed to the window and saw with relief that the ship was circling
away from the Crater. Gauges showed that the ship flew steady except
for that odd circling. An artisan, bursting into the control room from
the after gun station, explained the mystery.
"One rudder flange haywire, sir!"
"So that's it!" Ross spoke calmly. "Shot away?"