"You, Fenton," he snapped, "ten paces forward." Luke grinned but made no move. Amazed, the guard stepped closer. "You heard me!" he roared. "I'm keepin' you in my squad, tough guy." A ripple of astonished comment ran along the line and the other guards bellowed for silence. Kulan fingered the black tube of his neutro-beam and his broad face was chalky white. Luke advanced two paces, still grinning. And he looked up sneeringly into the grim face that was a foot above his own. "That's right, you big ape," he grated, "you ain't man enough to fight the way men fight. Gotta use dart guns, or gravity." It was sheer baiting of the big Martian. Fenton was shrewd and he knew the fellow's kind, quick to resent insult and prouder of their physical size and prowess than of any other possession. He saw the flush that rose to replace the guard's pallor, saw the huge lithe body go tense. Laughing derisively, he completed his ten paces with leisurely aplomb. Speechless with rage, Kulan stood rigid. Furtive boos and a few hoarse cheers came from somewhere in the long line of convicts, and Luke saw several men flattened to the ground by swift darting neutro-beams. And then the head guard came running from the small bastion. "What the hell?" he demanded of Kulan. "Any trouble?" Kulan saluted, and his eyes were narrow slits. "No sir," he returned stiffly, "no trouble." Eyeing Luke suspiciously, the senior guard grunted, then moved on along the line. And the work of reallotting squads went on. * * * * * It was exactly as Fenton had expected. This Kulan, a head over him in stature and broad in proportion, was sure in his mind that he could handle the red-headed Earthman without resort to weapons. And the taunt as to his physical ability had struck home. In some way that guard would maneuver matters so the encounter could come about. Besides, he would endeavor to keep Luke in his squad where he would be able to drive him to the utmost. The guards, Novak had said, were on the job only a month when they were replaced by fresh recruits--and their pay was based on the productivity of the squads they commanded. Kulan had seen that the Earthman was a real sapper; worth three of the others. And he'd try to keep it so. That working period was a highly gratifying one to Luke. With the rankling hatred concentrated and directed at Kulan, he was positively gleeful. And yet he was content to bide his time. He swung his pick and wielded his rock drill with joyful abandon, so that three men were kept busy loading the ore he removed. Kulan, he saw with satisfaction, was sullen and watchful. But no word passed between the two. And the Earthman knew he had planted a seed that was bound to sprout and grow until it bore fruit. * * * * *