"Why?" asked Astro.

"Vidac won't want us hanging around. Not since Captain Strong is here.
He'll give us a trial within an hour, sentence us to life on a prison
rock, and delegate some of his boys to take us back. We don't have a
chance."

Astro let out a low animal-like growl. "If that happens," said the giant
Venusian, "I'll get off that rock someway, somehow. And I'll find Mr.
Vidac. And when I do--"

"No need to talk like that now," said Tom. "Let's just not get caught!"

"But how?" asked Roger. "Look, over there! They've already reached the
top of that ridge on the left. The party on the right will be up there
soon too. We're trapped!"

"Wait a minute," said Astro. He picked up a huge boulder and hefted it
in his arms. "We can stand them off all day by tumbling rocks down on
them."

"And kill innocent people who don't know what they're doing?" asked Tom.
"No--put it down, Astro!"

"All right, brains!" snapped Roger. "What have you got to suggest?"

"There's only one thing we can do!" said Tom. "Down on the side of the
hill here I noticed a small cave. Two of us could squeeze inside."

"Why only two?" asked Astro.