"Twins," suggested Joe. "You stay the hell out of this," said Arden good-naturedly. Walt Franks re-appeared, headed out of the restaurant, and returned a few minutes later with another small case full of measuring equipment. "And this," said Arden as Walt vanished into the refrigerator once again, "will be known as the first time Walt Franks ever spent so much time in here without a drink!" "Time," said Joe, "will tell." * * * * * Half way from Lincoln Head to Canalopsis, Barney Carroll was examining a calendar. "Christmas," he said absently. Christine Baler stretched slender arms. "Yeah," she drawled, "and on Mars." Her brother Jim smiled. "Rather be elsewhere?" "Uh-huh," she said. "On Terra, where Christmas originated? Where Christmas trees adorn every home, and the street corners are loaded with Santa Clauses? Where--" "Christmas is a time for joy," said Christine. "Also to the average party, Christmas means snow, wassail, and friends dropping in. Me, I'm acclimated--almost--to this chilly Martian climate. Cold weather has no charm for your little sister, James." "Oh," said Barney. "Oh," echoed Jim, winking at his side-kick. "Don't you 'Oh' me," snorted Christine. "Oh?" repeated Barney. "Okay, woman, we get it. Instead of the cold and the storm you'd prefer a nice warm climate like Venus?" "It might be fun," she said evasively. "Or even better," said Jim Baler to Barney Carroll, "we might visit Venus Equilateral." Christine's evasive manner died. "Now," she said, "you've come up with a bright idea!" Barney chuckled. "Jim," he said, "call Walt Franks and ask him if he has a girl for us?" "He has quite a stock in his little black book," remarked Jim. "We'll drop in quietly, surprise-like," announced Christine. "And if there's any little black book, I'll see that you two Martian wolves divide 'em evenly." "Walt is going to hate us for this," chuckled Jim. "Accessories to the fact of his lost bachelorhood. Okay, Chris, pack and we'll--" "Pack nothing," laughed Christine. "I've packed. For all three of us. All we need is our furs until we get to Canalopsis. Then," she added happily, "we can dress in light clothing. I'm beginning to hate cold weather." "How about passage?" asked Barney. "Or did you--" Christine nodded. "The _Martian Girl_ leaves Canalopsis in about three hours. We pause at Mojave, Terra, for six hours, and thence to Venus Equilateral on the special trip that takes Christmas stuff out there." Jim Baler shrugged. "I think we've been jockeyed," he said. "Come on, Barney, needs must when a woman drives." "The quotation pertains to the devil," objected Barney. "No difference," said Jim, and then he ducked the pillow that Christine threw at him. A half hour later they were heading for Canalopsis. * * * * * "Walt?" smiled Arden. "Oh, sure, Walt's fine." "Then--?" "Yeah," added Barney good naturedly, "do we find 'em in Joe's or elsewhere?"