"He is telling the truth," the box affirmed. "Next person! Stand up!" One person after another stood, answered, and sat down again in relief. At last there were only a few people left who had not been questioned. The Leiter paused, studying them intently. "Only five left. The three must be among you. We have narrowed it down." His hand moved to his belt. Something flashed, a rod of pale fire. He raised the rod, pointing it steadily at the five people. "All right, the first one of you. What do you know about this destruction? Are you involved with the destruction of our city?" "No, not at all," the man murmured. "Yes, he's telling the truth," the box intoned. "Next!" "Nothing-- I know nothing. I had nothing to do with it." "True," the box said. The ship was silent. Three people remained, a middle-aged man and his wife and their son, a boy of about twelve. They stood in the corner, staring white-faced at the Leiter, at the rod in his dark fingers. "It must be you," the Leiter grated, moving toward them. The Martian soldiers raised their guns. "It _must_ be you. You there, the boy. What do you know about the destruction of our city? Answer!" The boy shook his head. "Nothing," he whispered. The box was silent for a moment. "He is telling the truth," it said reluctantly. "Next!" "Nothing," the woman muttered. "Nothing." "The truth." "Next!" "I had nothing to do with blowing up your city," the man said. "You're wasting your time." "It is the truth," the box said. For a long time the Leiter stood, toying with his rod. At last he pushed it back in his belt and signalled the soldiers toward the exit lock. "You may proceed on your trip," he said. He walked after the soldiers. At the hatch he stopped, looking back at the passengers, his face grim. "You may go-- But Mars will not allow her enemies to escape. The three saboteurs will be caught, I promise you." He rubbed his dark jaw thoughtfully. "It is strange. I was certain they were on this ship." Again he looked coldly around at the Terrans. "Perhaps I was wrong. All right, proceed! But remember: the three will be caught, even if it takes endless years. Mars will catch them and punish them! I swear it!" * * * * * For a long time no one spoke. The ship lumbered through space again, its jets firing evenly, calmly, moving the passengers toward their own planet, toward home. Behind them Deimos and the red ball that was Mars dropped farther and farther away each moment, disappearing and fading into the distance. A sigh of relief passed through the passengers. "What a lot of hot air that was," one grumbled. "Barbarians!" a woman said. A few of them stood up, moving out into the aisle, toward the lounge and the cocktail bar. Beside Thacher the girl got to her feet, pulling her jacket around her shoulders. "Pardon me," she said, stepping past him. "Going to the bar?" Thacher said. "Mind if I come along?" "I suppose not."