"You damn fool," Marnay said, struggling with the Earthman's two hundred pounds, "I'm gonna keep you out of trouble in spite of yourself!" "Aw-w, we're all friends here," the other said very loud, peering around happily. A couple of Venusians at the bar snickered at the naive words. "Mister, if you only knew!" Marnay said. "Come on, now, I know a better place than this." He added: "I'll buy you a drink there." "M-m-m ... nope. _You_ gotta buy _me_ a drink." "That's what I said," Marnay sighed. "Oh-h. Then whyn't you say so?" Leaning on Marnay affectionately, he allowed himself to be steered outside. Marnay sighed with relief and quickened his pace, pulling the other along after him. His only thought now was to get him away from the dives of this spacerfront street. "Mister, you sure spilled the beans," Marnay muttered, more to himself than to his friend. "I know I wouldn't want to be riding the _Vera_ this trip. You've endangered the life of every man aboard! Why didn't you just send Prather an engraved invitation to come help himself to that cargo?" "I would have, but didn't know where to reach him; besides that wouldn't have been very subtle, would it now?" The fellow's speech was no longer thick. He suddenly quit leaning on Marnay, straightened up and pulled him around a corner into a dim side street. He stood there grinning in Marnay's face. * * * * * Marnay's face was something to grin at. His mouth was hanging open as though on hinges. "You can close it now," the other said, as he reached out and closed it for him. "Say! You--you were just putting on an act back there!" Marnay finally managed to exclaim, inanely. "A good one, I hope." "No, I'm wrong." Marnay shook his head slowly. "Couldn't have been an act, I stood right there and watched you drink at least eight _tsiths_. My own record's four--and then they carried me out." "You just thought you saw me drink 'em. Good trick, if you know how." Marnay nodded. Then he looked at the man narrowly, grasped his arm and said, "Come on, let's get away from here. And listen! Whatever it is you've got up your sleeve, I want in on it! I'm George Marnay. Tri-Planet News Service." "Bob Kennett," the other said simply, sticking out his hand. "And you are in on it. That wasn't an accident when I bumped into you there at the bar. I thought I'd like to know you, because I heard you were making a few undercover inquiries about Prather! Mind telling me just what your interest is in that pirate?" Marnay replied, his voice suddenly gloomy. "Guess I should have said I'm _formerly_ of Tri-Planet News. You see, it's an old, familiar story. I was on an assignment back on Earth, and I happened to uncover a huge spacer-contract graft ... you know, millions being side-tracked into private pockets...." "Well?"