thing.

"All I hope," Alexander continued affably, "is that you'll find
Outworld Enterprises as attractive as did your predecessor Dr.
Williamson. He was with us until he died last month - better than
a hundred years."

"Died rather young, didn't he?"

"Not exactly, he was nearly four hundred when he joined us. My
grandfather was essentially conservative. He liked older men, and
Old Doc was one of his choices - a good one, too. He was worth
every credit we paid him."

"I'll try to do as well," Kennon said, "but I'd like to warn you
that I have no intention of staying as long as he did. I want to
build a clinic and I figure sixty thousand is about enough to get
started."

"When will you veterinarians ever learn to be organization men?"
Alexander asked. "You're as independent as tomcats."

Kennon grinned. "It's a breed characteristic, I guess."

Alexander shrugged. "Perhaps you'll change your mind after you've
worked for us."

"Possibly, but I doubt it."

"Tell me that five years from now," Alexander said - "Ah - here