Free Captain Future 19 - Outlaw World (Winter 1946) by Edmond Hamilton Page A

they pounced upon and devoured. So far, they had not noticed the Comet at the back of the ledge.
    “What are we going to do?” Grag exclaimed. “We can’t get back up without them seeing us. Shall we try our atom-pistols?”
    “They say a cave ape’s hide is almost proof against any ordinary weapon,” Otho said. “By the time we killed one, the rest would be on us.”
    “Well, we can’t stay here,” Grag declared. “Use those brains you’re always bragging about, and dope out some way to get through them.”
     
    OTHO’S eyes lit up with a gleam of inspiration. “Grag, I’ve got it! You’re about the size of one of those cave ape cubs — same massive build, same round head, same glowing eyes. Paint you white, and you’d pass for one sure as shooting.”
    “Is this a time for you to start insulting me?” roared Grag.
    “No, I’m serious,” Otho declared. “We’ll put a coat of white paint on you, then you pick me up and tuck me under your arm and start up to the surface. They’ll figure you’re one of their kids, and won’t stop you.”
    “I won’t do it!” Grag exclaimed indignantly. “Not if we stay here forever, will I let you make a monkey out of me like that.”
    “Simon and Joan and Ezra are waiting,” Otho reminded. “If we don’t return soon, they’ll come after us — and walk right into these monsters.”
    That persuaded Grag. But the robot continued to growl with indignation as Otho rapidly applied a coat of instant-drying white paint to his massive metal body.
    “Why, you’re a dead ringer for a young cave ape!” Otho chuckled when he had finished.
    They silently emerged from the ship. Closing the door, Otho touched the switch that would give the ship a protective electric charge.
    Then Grag picked up Otho and, with the android tucked under one arm, started along the fungi-clad ledge toward the rocky path that led up to the surface. The dusk was deeper now. And the huge cave apes hunting through the fungi paid no attention to the disguised robot.
    “Oh-oh!” he muttered then in sudden alarm. “Here comes one of them after us!”
    A full-grown female cave ape was advancing after them through the fungi. But instead of showing rage or anger, the creature was making loud clucking sounds.
    “Grag, some mother ape has lost her young one and, wants to adopt you!” exclaimed Otho.
    He shook with laughter, despite the danger. But Grag, thoroughly alarmed, raced up the path at a rate the huge creature behind them could not match. When they clambered out of the chasm, Otho doubled up with mirth.
    “Grag, aren’t you going to wait for mama?” he called to the robot, who was already speeding away.
    When they reached the metal shack, little Eek recoiled in alarm from his changed master.
    “How the blazes did you turn white, Grag?” demanded Ezra Gurney. “For a minute, I thought you was one of them cave apes.”
    “So did they,” chuckled Otho, and told them of his stratagem.
    That gave the Brain an idea.
    “We’ll string a wire with an electric charge around here, to keep off the cave apes,” he said. “Then we’ve got to set up detection fields to warn us when Ru Ghur comes, and the damping wave projector that we’ll use to overpower his band.”
    It was not long after they had strung a charged wire around the shack, when two of the huge cave apes came shambling through the dim starlight. Joan exclaimed in horror as she glimpsed them, and Eek huddled into a corner and shivered.
    But when the cave apes touched the charged wire, they fled with brutish howls of terror. None came near the rest of the night, while Simon and Otho worked to set up the detection field instruments and the big, spherical damping wave generator.
    “Now all we can do is wait,” said the Brain. “But Ru Ghur will come. He’s engaged in some secret project that requires all the radium he can gather. He’ll be here when he hears of a rich strike.”
    “Simon, what is Ru Ghur planning to do with