"I'm wrong--_who_ had it?" exploded Tinker as the words took. "Cal," smiled he. "You're Benj." "Brilliant deduction, Tinker. Now, do you get the pitch?" "No. You're trying to get Murdoch's Hoard too." "I haven't your persuasive charm, Tink. The illustrious cryptologist known as my twin brother wouldn't go into space for anything. You want the Key. Ergo, unless I miss my guess, you've been talking and using those charms on him. Don't tell me that he didn't give it to you." "You stinking dupe." Benj grew white around the mouth. "Your femininity won't keep you alive too long," he gritted. "I won't steal anyone's identity," she retorted. "I'll wreck yours," he rasped. "I'll duplicate you!" "Then I'll be no better than you are," she spat. "Go ahead. You'll get a dead dupe--two or a million of 'em. I can kill myself in the machine--I know how. I'd do it." "That wouldn't do me any good," snapped Benj. "Otherwise I'd do it now. I may do it later." "Keep it up--and I'll see that one half of this duplication is removed. Now, may I leave?" "No. If you don't know where the Key is--or Cal, you may come in handy later. I think that I might be able to force the Key away from him. He'd die before he permitted me to work on you." "You rotten personality stealer. You deserve to lose your identity." "I've still got Cal's." "Make a million of you," she taunted, "and they'll still be rotten." "Well, be that as it may. You and I are going to go to Venus. Murdoch's Hoard is still hidden in the Vilanortis Country. We have detectors. We'll just go and sit on the edge of the fog country and wait until we hear Cal's signal." "How do you know he's going?" "Assuming that Tinker Elliott could get more out of him than any other person, it means that he said 'no' and is now preparing to make the jaunt himself. That'll be a laugh. The home-and-fireside-loving Cal Blair taking a wild ride through the fog country of Vilanortis, I'd like to be in his crate, just to watch." "Cal is no imbecile," said Tink stoutly. "He'll get along." "Sure, he'll get along. But he won't have fun!" Tinker considered the future. It was not too bright. The thing to do, of course, would be to go along more or less willingly and look for an escape as soon as Benj's suspicions were lulled by her inaction. * * * * *