"Hell," I said, "Angus is as good as my client right now." "I will give you," the well-preserved middle aged man said, "ten thousand dollars to help me destroy Angus Haney's time machine." "And win or lose you won't have my family try to kill me any more?" "Win or lose," he said. Great-great--I got to call him that because I never learned his name--waited for my answer while I did some of the fast thinking a private dick has to do every working day of his life. When opportunity knocks, a private dick can't pass it up. He won't keep his shingle up long if he does because the work isn't exactly steady. This, obviously, was opportunity. Ten thousand bucks worth. And ten G's in one lump sum looked a lot better than Angus Haney's indefinite hundred a week. Did that mean I was turning on Angus Haney? Well, it's a cinch I wouldn't have been booted out of the fraternity of private eyes for it because despite what you read to the contrary in the two-bit shamus books--of noble impulses and motives pure as chivalry--a private eye is for number one and that's the end of it. "Mister," I said, "you have got yourself a deal. When do I start?" "You know where Angus Haney lives?" "He gave me his card." "Tomorrow. Tomorrow morning. He's working late tonight so he'll sleep late tomorrow. He's putting the finishing touches tonight on the first time machine ever built. In the morning, we destroy it. All right?" "For ten thousand bucks," I said, "I'd destroy the Taj Mahal." * * * * * It was a cold clear morning. I didn't call home because I couldn't face the wife and kid, not for a while. I had accused them of trying to kill me and it was true enough but they had no recollection of it. I still had the wife's car with me, but she could pick up mine at the service station on her own way to work. I was too excited to eat breakfast. It isn't every morning you start out to earn ten thousand dollars. I drove across town to the address on Angus Haney's card. Great-great was already waiting for me, and pacing the sidewalk impatiently. The frown lifted when he saw me and you could actually see him relax down to the tips of his toes. "I can take care of the machine," he said. "You watch for Angus. If Angus tries to stop me, you take care of Angus. All right?" I nodded and we went around the side of the house, where Angus Haney had planted rhododendron and azaleas. Me, I don't care much for plants--I only know the names because my wife makes such a fuss about them. "In the cellar," Great-great whispered. "I have a key." "How did you get a key?" "In my own time this house is preserved as a museum. I simply made a key from the restored model." In silence we approached the cellar door. A look at my wristwatch told me it was seven-thirty. If Angus Haney had worked late last night he would probably still be asleep. The job would be a lead-pipe cinch.