speaking and frowned in confusion. When he considered recent events, he realized that Vicenzo and Aziz, by their inexpert maneuvering, had almost caused him to pass beyond. All of Henry's education, haphazard as it had been, emphasized the belief that a person who caused another to pass beyond could only be regarded with loathing. A person who saved a life must be treated with eternal gratitude and veneration by the beneficiary.

Ranjit said, "Let's go, Henry! What are you up to? I've had a feeling you ain't exactly zeroed."

"I—I think I should tell you," Henry said.

"Listen. Somebody coming aboard," Ranjit said, jerking his arm from Henry's relaxed grip and facing the doorway in the netting. Henry waited for Vicenzo and Aziz to enter the compartment.

CHAPTER II

Two people entered, but they were not Vicenzo and Aziz. The first was a small, thin man with a long, sad face. He wore a somber black oversuit. The second was a girl no older than Henry.

"Please, Joachim," the girl whispered, "don't antagonize them. Ask about the fuel first."

Henry gaped at the girl, and his face grew hot. Since he had spent his young life among the Moons and Asteroids, never going farther sunward than Pallas, he had seen few girls his own age and none as beautiful as this one. Her hair, dyed in tiger stripes of black and yellow, was parted in the middle and, held by silver wires, extended from the sides of her head like wings. She wore blue hose, silver fur shorts, and a golden sweater sparkling with designs in mirror thread. Metal-soled shoes too large for her feet slightly marred the total effect.

"High," said the man with the sad face. "I am Joachim, Second Vice-President of the SPRS. This is our Corresponding Secretary, Morna." His deep voice rolled around the compartment as if the lower keys of an orchestrana had been struck.

"Low," Ranjit responded. "I'm Ranjit, and this is Henry. Why didn't you make an appointment? The tanks are about empty, and you may have to wait several hours. What do you feed your atomics, water or hydrogen? It'll be even longer if you need hydrogen. I haven't done any electrolysis today. I wasn't expecting—Look at that girl, Henry! I'm 107 years old, but I can still appreciate a sight like that! I don't see how a homely fellow like you, Joachim, ever got such a luscious girl."

"Ours is 

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