As Davis hesitated, Burl went on. "Listen, Davis, the ship is in trouble. The Captain is going to launch the lifeboats. You're in charge of Boat F, aren't you? You know how to operate it?" "Of course, Mr. Jasperson." "Then come with me, and we'll take the boat now. I'll pay you well." "But we can't do that!" "Why not? The _Star Lord_ is doomed. In fifteen minutes this place will be a madhouse, and there may not be room for everybody. I want to get out of here before the mob. We'll take Boat F." Steward Davis' eyes were thoughtful as he replied. "But sir, we can't just take a boat for ourselves, like that. There's two hundred and fifty people assigned to Boat F." "Worse than that! Three hundred! One lifeboat has been lost already. It's dangerous to wait--there'll be a stampede and the lifeboats might even be wrecked. No, we must take her alone, Davis. I'll give you ten thousand credits if you'll do it, and as long as you live you'll have me as a friend." The steward's Little eyes looked sidewise at the pleading man. "But I'd be found out for sure, Mr. Jasperson, and then what would become of me? I'd never get another job as long as I lived. I'd have to change my name, disguise myself, and maybe live on some other planet, and all that would take money. I'm a poor man, and I don't see how I could afford it." "But if I have to squeeze into one of those boats with three hundred other people crowding against me, I'll go crazy! We'll go to some out-of-the-way planet, and you can change your identity and be perfectly safe. Can't you understand, man? My life is at stake, and my sanity. I'll give you fifteen thousand credits!" "Well," said Davis. "Could you make it twenty-five?" "Done! Meet me at Boat F in five minutes." Jasperson rushed to his cabin. Yanking open the wall safe he dragged out his brief case and the locked memorandum book, thrust his pistol into his pocket, and ran to the door. "Follow me!" he called to his startled secretary, and hurried from the room. Running past the library door, he glimpsed Tanya at work, her auburn head bent over her sketching. On impulse, he stopped and ran back. Panting from the physical punishment of running, nearly smothered by the pounding of his terrified heart, he gasped out his invitation. "Tanya! The ship is going to blow up! Don't tell anyone. Come with me now, before the crowd, and I'll get you off safely in my lifeboat. I'll take care of you, Tanya." She pulled away. "Have you lost your mind, Mr. Jasperson?" "Don't argue. There's no time. Come, I'll protect you. We'll have plenty of room. If you wait, it may be too late." "Go with you, and leave the others? You're mad!" "But if you wait, you'll be trampled to death by the mob. I'm giving you a chance to save your life." "But you can't take that boat for yourself. What would happen to the other people? That would be murder. Get away from me! I'm going to call Captain Evans."