Except for Pete, no one seemed ready for any decisive action, except, of all people, Ushuaia Joe. As Pete made his way forward, he found Sam and Clarence Roth in his way, jostling each other about in frightened confusion. Pete had no time to fight his way through, and he looked ahead of him helplessly to the controls.
But somehow, Ushuaia Joe was at his side. Using his arms as flails, the Indian of Tierra del Fuego swept the two men aside, and Pete flung himself down the length of the cabin. Joe was there again, heaving Ganymede Gus bodily from the pilot chair.
Pete sat down—with only seconds left to act.
He kicked at the jet pedal, heard the motors cough in protest. Frozen? If they were frozen.…
He kicked again. The engines sputtered, coughed, kicked over! Pete pulled the stick all th
