for rights to
bore for oil. The uranium concessions are farmed out. Water-power is
pending--not for cash, but a cut--and--."

Holden said uneasily:

"There's one other thing, Jed. All your plans and all your scheming
could still be blocked if back on Earth they think we might bring
plagues back to Earth. Remember Dabney suggested that? And some
biologist or other agreed with him?"

Cochrane grinned.

"There's a diamond-mine. There are herds of what people will call
cattle. There's food and riches. There's scenery and adventure. There's
room to do things! Nobody could keep political office if he tried to
keep his constituents from food and cash and adventure--even by proxy
when they send expendable Cousin Albert out to see if he can make a
living there. We've got to take reasonable precautions against germs, of
course. We'll have trouble enforcing them. But we'll manage!"

Al called down from the control-room. The ship was sufficiently aligned,
he thought, for their next stopping-place. He wanted Jones to charge the
booster-circuit and flash it over. Jones went.

A little later there was the peculiar sensation of a sound that was not
a sound, but was felt all through one. The result was not satisfactory.
The ship was still in empty space, and the nearest star was still a
star. There was a repetition of the booster-jump. Still not too good.
Thereafter the ship drove, and jumped, and jumped, and drove.

Jamison came down to where Cochrane conducted business via communicator.
He waited. Cochrane said:

"Dammit, I won't agree! I want twelve per cent or I take up another
offer!--What?"

The last was to Jamison. Jamison said uneasily:

"We found another planet. About Earth-size. Ice-caps. Clouds. Oceans.
Seas. Even rivers! But there's no green on it! It's all bare rocks!"

Cochrane thought concentratedly. Then he said impatiently:

"The whiskered people back home said that life couldn't have gotten
started on all the planets suited for it. They said there must be
planets where life hasn't reached, though they're perfectly suited for
it. Make a landing and try the air with algae like we did on the first
planet."

He turned back to the communicator.

"You reason," he snapped to a man on far-away Earth, "that all this is
only on paper. But that's the only reason you're getting a chance at it!
I'll guarantee that Jones will install drives on ships that meet our
requirements of space-worthiness--or government sta