At one o'clock of that afternoon, Charlie Jingle boarded a coast-to-coast rocket. Fifty-five minutes later, at ten fifty-five A.M. West Coast Time, Charlie Jingle set foot on the pavement of Los Angeles' Municipal Rocket-Port, hopped a cab, and got out on the lot of Galaxy Films. His business there took him two hours and twelve minutes, by which time he hopped another cab, was born back to the Rocket-Port, and bought a return ticket on the eastbound Rocket, scheduled for takeoff at five P.M. Charlie found a few hours on his hands. He chose to divert himself at the Jet-Car Races in Culver City. He dropped forty dollars on the first two races, and had just bought another ticket when, as he walked away from the betting window, he saw a familiar profile marking possibilities on a racing sheet with a well-chewed pencil. He nudged up to Rabbit Markey, and in a half-whisper, asked: "Got anything hot today, Jack?" Rabbit Markey looked up with an annoyed frown, blinked, and when Charlie Jingle's face registered, laughed. "'Lo, Charlie? How's things out on the Coast?" "Things," said Charlie, shaking his hand, "are lousy. But they'll get better real fast. How about you, Rabbit? Out of the fights for good?" Rabbit Markey sighed slow and long, nodding his head. "I dumped my whole stable, Charlie, and when I come out here, I figured Jet-Car racing was a clean way to make a buck. So I bought me a Jet outfit. But it's the same tie-up as the fights was." "I can imagine," said Charlie Jingle. "No you can't, neither. For instance, you know who Jet-Cars Incorporated happens to be an affiliate of?" "Wait! Don't tell me. Lemme guess." Charlie shut his eyes. "Pugs, Inc.?" "Bingo," said Rabbit Markey dispiritedly. "You know who makes the drivers for the Jet-Cars?" "Wait! Don't tell me!... Pugs, Inc.?" "Bingo," said Rabbit Markey sadly, and Charlie laughed. "That's the way the bugle blows, eh, Rabbit?" "You know who's got the Commissioner of Jet-Car Races bought out?" went on Rabbit Markey. "Wait! Don't tell--How do you know that, Rabbit?" "Whatsa difference. I know. For sure! I happened to find out. Just like the old Fights Racket, eh, Charlie?" "Yeah," said Charlie Jingle nervously. "Except that nobody's got Jergen bought out." "Hunh?" exclaimed Rabbit Markey. "What I said--nobody's got--" "I heard ya, Charlie. I heard ya the first time. You mean you never heard about Jergen?" "Heard? Heard what?" "Boyo boyo boy! Buddy, you are in the middle of the neatest fix in history. You mean to say you don't know what's happening?" "Fix? What kinda fix, Rabbit?... Are you kidding? I can't even get my boy a fight, and you're talking fix!" "Aw Boyy! Awww Boyyyy are you a dummy! Lissen! Whatta you doin' out here onna Coast?" "Doin'? I'm tryin' to set it up so I can get Tanker a fight, that's what I'm doin'!" "You worked out a deal with some film company, huh?" "That's right. Why?"