The three of them stood quite still and quite silent for a moment or two. Then Lamps said, "Well, I guess we ought to be going, Grandma. It's been good seeing you, and take care of yourself." "Yeah, bye," said Snake, holding out a grimy paw hoping to escape with just a handshake. He did. The two burly spacemen strode rapidly down the walk and climbed into their aircar. Grandma stood transfixed until the little vehicle had climbed far out of sight. Then she opened the present. In the box she found a delicate bit of jewelry--a solid gold locket. The medallion was shaped like a rocket ship, and along the side of it, spelled out in tiny diamonds, was the name, _Dirty Shame_. Grandma held it in her hands for a spell, then pulled out a bit of a lace handkerchief and honked loudly. Turning around, she surveyed her new home again. And she began to think, which was always dangerous. Her conscience, catching the drift of her thoughts, became alarmed. "Now, Matilda Perkins, you wouldn't dare--" her conscience said to her. "Oh, you shut up," she retorted. "But it would be awfully nice...." * * * * * The spaceship _Dirty Shame_ blasted off from the spaceport in a blaze of fire and smoke. Lamps O'Toole and Snake Simpson were at the controls, and neither of them was feeling much like talking. So, for the most part as they pushed the buttons and turned the switches that headed the ship out into space, they were quiet. After a while Snake spoke up. "We're going to miss the old dame," he ventured as they pulled dear of Earth's atmosphere. "Keep your trap shut," growled Lamps. "Yes, sir, if I just close my eyes, I can still see the old gal, standing there at the micrafoam, giving that old Commodore the business. And you standing next to her, your mouth hanging out a mile." Lamps gave the ship more velocity than was necessary. "Mind your own business, Snake." "And I can hear them funny shoes of hers, clip clopping down the corridor, bringing us a batch of fresh biscuits." Snake sat bolt upright in his chair. "Lord a-massy, if I can't even smell them biscuits right now!" Lamps let out a curse. "Now, see what you done, Snake? You got me so riled up I can smell 'em too." Both of them stopped, sniffed long and hard, and then let out a whoop. Throwing the _Dirty Shame_ into full automatic, they dashed for the kitchen. There, stooping over, peering into the oven, was a silver-haired, little old lady. "Grandma!" they yelled in unison. "What are you doing here!" Giving them her richest smile, she said, "Well, boys, I didn't raise a family of ten without knowing that hungry men need good, solid food. So I...." It took a while and it took some wile and some of the best of Grandma's talking, but finally it was agreed by all hands that she would be allowed to remain on board, at least until they could get her back to Earth. And, in the end, the fresh batch of hot biscuits were probably her best argument.