seemed to him there was something wrong with the whole thing. It was more than merely clumsy. It was grotesque.

Marnay stopped. "Say! I never saw a spacer quite like that before. It looks kind of funny, yet I can't say exactly—"

"Come on, come on," Kennett said, taking his arm and hurrying him. "Never mind that. Supplies are all aboard, all we have to do is leave."

It was quiet around the spacer. No activity. They entered the bow lock. Marnay looked down a long, empty, silent corridor.

"What the hell!" he exclaimed. "Ain't there any crew?"

Kennett said: "Yes. You and me are the crew."

"Uh huh. But we are taking this misshapen piece of junk clear out to Jupiter? I got that part of it right?"

"That's right. I decided it would be a long grind all by myself. There are minor annoyances, such as having to sleep sometimes."

"Where's that ten million dollar cargo," Marnay grinned, staring around.

Kennett said very seriously: "Oh, we're carrying quite a cargo all right. And it's all for Prather if he wants it. But it's hardly the cargo he thinks he's going to get."

"The generosity of your information overwhelms me." Marnay stared around some more. Everything was stark and bare, save for the necessary controls. "Wish we had a couple of long range atom-blasts like the Patrol ships carry. Any aboard?"

"No weapons at all aboard," Kennett stated.

"How comforting! You sure make a fellow feel right at home."

"You don't sound very confident in me and the Vera," Kennett said. "Don't you believe we can get Prather?"

"Oh sure! I believe in fairies, and Santa Claus, and the Easter rabbit, and you and the Vera. Hell, don't get me wrong, Kennett. You can't shake me now, you've picked yourself a crew!"

Kennett permitted himself a smile as he moved swiftly to the controls. "Good! I knew you'd think that way."

Marnay said: "Don't flatter me, I never think. There's always been idiocy in my family and this proves it."

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