The somber pools of her eyes were shining. "You are very lovable, Gregg. I won't question you." She was trembling with excitement. "Whatever it is, I want to be in on it. Here's something I can tell you now. We've two high class gold leaf gamblers aboard. Do you know that?" "Who are they?" "Shac and Dud Ardley. Every detective in Greater New York knows them. They had a wonderful game with that Englishman, Sir Arthur, this morning. Stripped him of half a pound of eight-inch leaves--a neat little stack. A crooked game, of course. Those fellows are more nimble-fingered than Rance Rankin ever dared to be!" I sat staring at her. She was a mine of information, this girl. "And Gregg, I tried my charms on Shac and Dud. Nice men, but dumb. Whatever's going on, they're not in it. They wanted to know what kind of a ship this was. Why? Because Shac has a cute little eavesdropping microphone of his own. He had it working last night. He overheard George Prince and that giant Miko arguing about the Moon!" I gasped, "Venza! Softer--" Against all propriety of this public deck she pretended to drape herself upon me. Her hair smothered my face as her lips almost touched my ear. "Something about treasure on the Moon. Shac couldn't understand what. And they mentioned you. Then the purser joined them." Her whispered words tumbled over one another. "A hundred pounds of gold leaf--that's the purser's price. He's with them--whatever it is. He promised to do something or other for them." She stopped. "Well?" I prompted. "That's all. Shac's current was interrupted." "Tell him to try it again, Venza! I'll talk with him. No! I'd better let him alone. Can you get him to keep his mouth shut?" "I think he might do anything I told him. He's a man!" "Find out what you can." She drew away from me abruptly. "There's Anita and George Prince." They came to the corner of the deck, but turned back. Venza caught my look. And understood it. "You do love Anita Prince, Gregg?" Venza was smiling. "I wish you.... I wish some man handsome as you would gaze after me like that." She turned solemn. "You may be interested to know, she loves you. I could see it. I knew it when I mentioned you to her this morning." "Me? Why we've hardly spoken!" "Is it necessary? I never heard that it was." I could not see Venza's face; she stood up suddenly. And when I rose beside her, she whispered, "We should not be seen talking so long. I'll find out what I can." I stared after her slight robed figure as she turned into the lounge archway and vanished. VI Captain Carter was grim. "So they've bought him off, have they? Go bring him in here, Gregg. We'll have it out with him now." Snap, Dr. Frank, Balch, our first officer, and I were in the Captain's chart room. It was four P.M. Earth time. We were sixteen hours upon our voyage. I found Johnson in his office in the lounge. "Captain wants to see you. Close up."