answer he longed to make. For a second he hesitated and then he vanished
down a side path with his assistant. Van Rycke had gone a quarter of the
distance back to the ship before he spoke.

"I thought it was too easy," he muttered. "Now we're in for it--maybe
right up the rockets! By the Spiked Tail of Exol, this is certainly _not_
our lucky day!" He quickened pace until they were close to trotting.




Chapter II

RIVALS


"That's far enough, Eysie!"

Although Traders by law and tradition carried no more potent personal
weapons--except in times of great crisis--than hand sleep rods, the
resultant shot from the latter was just as unpleasant for temporary
periods as a more forceful beam--and the threat of it was enough to halt
the three men who had come to the foot of the Queen's ramp and who could
see the rod held rather negligently by Ali. Ali's eyes were anything but
negligent, however, and Free Traders had reputations to be respected by
their rivals of the Companies. The very nature of their roving lives
taught them savage lessons--which they either learned or died.

Dane, glancing down over the Engineer-apprentice's shoulder, saw that Van
Rycke's assumption of confidence had indeed paid off. They had left the