"In the end, I missed Mercury by ten inches and they got most of it back!" Then was no answer to that. He must have been half a million ahead. "What about the sandeaters you promised to stake?" asked Howlet, grinning like a man who has seen it happen before but still enjoys it. "Some of them helped me lose it," said Meadows. "Now they will all just have to use those tickets, I suppose. Where's Hughie and his little friend? Coffee all around and we'll get on course, eh?" "Thought he was with you," answered Howlet. "I'll look in the bar," I volunteered, remembering the kid had left with more of a roll than Meadows had now. A casual search of the bar and back room revealed both nearly empty, a natural condition just before dawn. No one had seen Konnel, apparently, so I went outside and squinted along the dim, narrow street. Four or five drunks, none tall enough to be Konnel, were slowly and softly singing their way home. The door slid open behind me and the other two came out quickly. "Oh, there you are! I asked around too," said Howlet in a low voice. "Can you trust that Jorgensen? They wouldn't let me in the office behind the back room." "He's a better sport than he looks," I said. "I wonder," murmured Meadows. "He looked queer when I was so far ahead. Or maybe one of his huskies got ideas about keeping a handy hostage...." Howlet suddenly looked dangerous. I gathered that he thought something of the boy, and was heating up to the door-smashing stage. "Let's check one other place," I suggested, "before we make a mistake." * * * * * My starting off fast up the street left him the choice of coming quietly or staying to wonder. They both came. I could feel them watching me. I turned right into a narrow street, went along it about fifty yards, and paused where it was crossed by a still narrower alley. Hoping I remembered the way, I groped along the lefthand branch of the alley. A trace of light had begun to soften the sky over the dome, but had not yet seeped down to ground level. Howlet's soft footsteps trailed me. I knocked on what seemed to be the right door. There was no answer--only to be expected. I hammered again. "No one aboard, it would appear," murmured Meadows. It was meant as a question. I shrugged in the darkness and banged longer and louder. Finally, listening at the flimsy panel, I detected muffled footsteps. The door opened a crack. "It's Tony Lewis, Lilac." * * * * * The black opening widened, until she must have seen the two behind me. She wore a thin robe that glimmered silver in the dim light. "Send the boy out, Lilac," I said. "Why should I?" That much was good; she might have pretended not to have him there. "He has to catch his ship, Lilac." Behind me, I heard Howlet stir uneasily. The door began to close, but my foot was in the track. Howlet could not see that. "Don't shut it, sister," he said, "or we'll smash it down!"