Brave shook his great head. "Huh-uh, son. More to it than that. Too many coincidences spoil the broth; too many queer things happening isn't right. I think you were on the trail of truth last night." "I was talking through my ear," said Alan irritably. Brave stared at him. A furrow appeared above the great hawk nose. He bent and pushed Alan's head back and looked into his friend's eyes. Alan tried to jerk his head away and Brave held it steady in the grip of one tough fist. He lifted Alan's lids one after the other and growled deep in his chest. "What the devil, Brave!" The Indian stood erect. "By the Great Spirit," he said. "Hypnotized!" "What in hell's name are you talking about?" "You've been hypnotized. Your pupils are swollen as big as grapes." "You're crazy." Brave regarded him equably. "Sure, tetrarch. Sure I'm crazy. Did you go out last night?" "You were with me. What's wrong with you? We went to Win's." "I mean later, when I was asleep." "Certainly not. I did get up and go into the living room, though, and I fell asleep in a chair." "Ah," said Brave. He considered a moment. "Watch the java, will you?" Alan nodded. The Indian went out of the kitchen. Alan heard him moving things about in their little laboratory beside the plastiglassed lounging quarters. In five minutes he returned. "Alan, you trust me, don't you?" "My God, do you have to be reassured on that? Ever since we marched through Argentina together. Since Campana and Buenos Aires and that hell of Pergamino. I'd trust you if you told me to jump into Lower Bay." "Okay. Now do me a favor." He gulped down a cup of scalding coffee. "Drink up and come with me." * * * * * Alan drank obediently, and stood and followed Brave into the lab. In a cleared space stood a pair of machines, looking somewhat like giant cameras, the lens of one covered by a multicolored disk, that of the other unshaded; there were plastic charts bolted to the sides, and dials and several types of indicator, and among all these the distinctive green and gold seal of the Institute of Psychotherapeutic and Hypnotherapeutic Research. Alan balked. "Hold on, Brave! You aren't going--" "You said you trust me. Do it now if never again. Sit down." "No!" he shouted. He was not quite sure of his reasons, but he knew he must not be hypnotized. Brave moved to shut him off from the door. "You'll sit there if I have to knock you out, boss." Alan saw he was not joking. He said, "Where did you get the machines, Brave?" "Had 'em around for years. I've always been intrigued by hypnosis, you know that. In fact you knew I had the machines. Will you sit down?" "What are you going to do?" "Damn it, you're sparring for time. If you think--"