Transcriber's notes:

TN-1 Spaced em dash is found in the original.

TN-2 Corrected from litle to little.

TN-3 Not Capitalised or italicised in the original, but should probably read Comet

TN-4 This etext was produced from "Astounding Stories" December 1931. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.