remember
what I said: trust no one except yourselves. Study each move before
you make it. These Lakonians are dull-witted, but they'll do whatever
Liane tells them. And she thinks fast and cunningly!"

* * * * *

We thanked him for his warning, and hurried back to the ship through
the sickly-green Lakonian dusk. The acrid odor of the atmosphere was
already beginning to be disagreeable.

"Decent sort of a chap, Fetter," commented Correy. "All wrought up,
isn't he? Worried stiff."

"I imagine he has cause to be. And--he might have been right in saying
we should have held Liane: perhaps we could have treated with her in
some way."

"No chance! Not that lady. When we treat with her, we'll have to have
the whip hand, utterly and completely."

The heavy outer door of the _Ertak's_ exit was open, but the
transparent inner door, provided for just such an emergency, was in
place, forming, in conjunction with a second door, an efficient
air-lock. The guard saw us coming and, as we came up, had the inner
door smartly opened, standing at salute as we entered. We returned his
salute and went up to the navigating room, where I proposed to hold a
brief council of war, informing Kincaide and Hendricks of what we had
learned from Fetter, and deciding upon a course of action for the
following day. Kincaide, whom I had left on watch, was there waiting.

"Well, sir, how do things stack up?" he asked anxiously.

"Not so good. Please ask Mr. Hendricks to report here at once, and
I'll give you the whole story."

Kincaide pressed the attention signal to Hendricks' room, and waited
impatiently for a response. There was none.

"Try my room," suggested Correy. "Maybe he hasn't moved back to his
own quarters yet."

"That's what he said he would be doing," replied Kincaide. But that
signal too failed to bring any response.

* * * * *

Correy glanced at me, a queer, hurt expression in his eyes.

"Shall I go forward and see if he--if he's ill?" he asked quickly.

"Please do," I said, and as soon as he was gone I turned to the
microphone and called the sentry on duty at the exit.

"Commander Hanson speaking. Has Mr. Hendricks left the ship?"'

"Yes, sir. Some time ago. The lady came back, saying she had word from
you; she and Mr. Hendricks left a few minutes later. That was all
right, sir?"

"Yes," I said, barely able to force the word from between my lips.
Hendricks