"We can't be the judge of that. Joe is worth no consideration now. Don,
lock Joe up in one of the empty storage rooms, but don't get near him."
"Right," said Timnson, the mathematician. "Come on, Wilding."
Joe started to move away, stopped and said:
"See that one of the twins looks after Paul, will you?"
"Go on," said Bairn. Joe went ahead of Timnson.
* * * * *
The heavy door clanged shut behind Joe, and he was alone in the
darkness. The motors were still silent, and he wondered how much
damage the meteorite had done to the ship. He felt his way to the
communications phone, unhooked it. But the steady hum that signified
that it was alive was absent. Even the call speaker gave no sound.
Wearied, Joe sat down against the wall, and despite the hunger feeling
throbbing in his stomach fell asleep.
It was the overhead light shining into his eyes that awakened him.
His ears sought for the sound of the motors, no familiar thrum. The
wandering meteor must have done quite a bit of damage.
The communications phone buzzed. Joe answered.
"Hello, Joe," it was Burnet's voice.
"How are you, Paul? The dizziness gone?"
"Right, but I guess it doesn't do any good. We're not going anywhere."
Burnet's voice was a little strained.
"Why?" put in Joe.
"That damn meteor knocked hell out of the rear blasting tubes, and some
of the fellows are outside trying to replace the busted ones. But even
if they get it fixed we're still derelict. That meteor took all of our
water, and I guess you know what that means."