Trader must be galling in the extreme. And the fact that this one was
doing just that was an indication that the Queen's crew did, perhaps,
have the edge of advantage in any coming bargain. In the meantime the
Eysie contingent fumed below while Ali lounged whistling against the exit
port, playing with his sleep rod and Dane studied the grass forest. His
boot nudged a packet just inside the port casing and he glanced
inquiringly from it to Ali.

"Cat ransom," the other answered his unspoken question.

So that was it--the fee for Sinbad's return. "What is it today?"

"Sugar--about a tablespoon full," the Engineer-assistant returned, "and
two colored steelos. So far they haven't run up the price on us. I think
they're sharing out the spoil evenly, a new cub brings him back every
night."

As did all Terran ships, the Solar Queen carried a cat as an important
member of the regular crew. And the portly Sinbad, before their landing
on Sargol, had never presented any problem. He had done his duty of
ridding the ship of unusual and usual pests and cargo despoilers with
dispatch, neatness and energy. And when in port on alien worlds had never
shown any inclination to go a-roving.

But the scents of Sargol had apparently intoxicated him, shearing away
his solid dignity and middle-aged dependability. Now Sinbad flashed out
of the Queen at the opening of her port in the early morning and was
brought back, protesting with both voice and claws, at the end of the day
by that member of the juvenile population whose turn it was to collect
the standing reward for his forceful delivery. Within three days it had