Furtively he glanced around him. Over there sat the Martian delegation, brilliant, cynical little creatures. Near them were the Earth men. And on the other side, the black tunicked Jovians.

To his right was his own party. Nothing among them would make such a sound, he was certain.

On Telug's other side sat the Saturnian representative, Dr. Gor Jeetl. Dr. Jeetl sat tranquilly listening to the discourse of a hundred diplomats with a fixed smile on his circular face. His abdomen rested comfortably upon his knees, making a kind of dais upon which to place his folded arms.

The ticking was coming from Gor Jeetl. It was extremely faint. No one but Telug could have heard it.

Efficient secretary that he was, he immediately penned a note, folded it twice, and passed it down to the leader of his party, Madong Five-seven-ex. It might have noted that Telug's topknot had turned quite pale.

Madong, resplendent in his custard-yellow suit, read the note. He leaned over so that he could catch Telug's eye, past the three Venusians that sat between them. Telug nodded gravely.

Madong pressed the red button in front of him, requesting audience. He was recognized by the chairman.

Madong stood. His heavy lips felt dry. He licked them with bulbous, blue tongue. "Mr. Chairman," he said, "the Venusian delegation respectfully requests permission to withdraw from the assembly of Friendship until further notice."

Mr. Chairman eyed him keenly. He was a shrewd Ganymedian. "May we ask the reason for this request?"

"The Venusian delegation would rather not say."

An ominous ripple progressed around the table, affecting every person except, perhaps, one Gor Jeetl. He was gravely contemplating his silver belt buckle.

"Obviously," the Ganymedian chairman said, "we cannot permit the gentlemen from Venus to leave unless they consent to explain their action."

Madong, emissary of Venus, sprang up with apparent agitation. He started around the table, heels clicking loudly on the floor. It seemed that it required fifteen minutes for him to circumnavigate that huge circle, but it could not have been half so long.

He whispered in the chairman's ear.

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