I said, "Before we go any further--I can trust you for my share?" "Of course." * * * * * I figured that my very boldness in bargaining so prematurely would convince him. I insisted, "And Miss Prince? She will have her brother's share?" Clever Anita! She put in swiftly, "I give no information until you promise! We know the location of the Grantline camp, its weapons, its defense, the amount and location of the ore. I warn you, if you do not play us fair...." He laughed heartily. He seemed to like us. He spread his huge legs as he lounged in his settle, and drank of the bowl which one of his men set before him. "Little tigress! Fear me not--I play fair!" He pushed two of the bowls across the table. "Drink, Haljan. All is well with us, and I am glad to hear it. Miss Prince, drink my health as your leader." I waved it away from Anita. "We need all our wits; your strong Martian drinks are dangerous. Look here, I'll tell you just how the situation stands--" I plunged into a glib account of our supposed wanderings to find the Grantline camp; its location off in the Mare Imbrium--hidden in a cavern there. Potan, with the drink, and under the gaze of Anita's eyes, was in a high good humor. He laughed when I told him that we had dared to invade the Grantline camp, had smashed its exit portes, had even gotten up to have a look at where the ore was piled. "Well done, Haljan! You're a fellow to my liking!" But his gaze was on Anita. "You dress like a man, or a charming boy." She still wore the dark clothes of her brother. She said, "I am used to action--man's garb pleases me. You shall treat me like a man, give me my share of the gold-leaf." * * * * * He had already demanded of us the meaning of that signal from the Mare Imbrium. Miko's signal! It had not come again, though any moment I feared it. I told him that Grantline had doubtless repaired his damaged portes and sallied out to assail me in reprisal. And seeing the brigand ship landing on Archimedes, had tried to lure it. I wondered if my explanation were very convincing. It did not sound so. But he was flushed now with the drink. And Anita added: "Grantline knows the territory near his camp very well. He is equipped only for short-range fighting." I took it up. "It's like this, Potan: if he could get you to land unsuspectingly near the mouth of his cavern...." I pictured how Grantline might have figured on a sudden surprise attack upon the ship. It was his only chance to catch it unprepared. We were all three in friendly, intimate mood now. Potan said, "We'll land down there right enough! But I need a few hours for my assembling." "He will not dare advance," I said. "For one thing, he can't leave the treasure." "He knows we have unmasked his lure," Anita put in smilingly. "Haljan and I joining you--that silenced him. His light went out very promptly, didn't it?"