y did not
know what else to do, but they were far from happy.

Hoddan shared their depression. Such gloomy anticipations before
stirring events are proof that a man is not a fool. Hoddan's grandfather
had been known to observe that when a man can imagine all kinds of
troubles and risks and disasters ahead of him, he is usually right.
Hoddan shared that view. But it would not do to back out now.

He examined Walden painstakingly while the yacht sped on. He saw an
ocean come out of the twilight zone of dawn. By the charts, the capital
city and the spaceport should be on that ocean's western shore. After a
suitable and very long interval, the site of the capital city came
around the edge of the planet.

From a bare hundred thousand miles, Hoddan stepped up magnification to
its limit and looked again. Then Walden more than filled the telescope's
field. He could see only a very small fraction of the planet's surface.
He had to hunt before he found the capital city again. Then it was very
clear. He saw the curving lines of its highways and the criss-cross
pattern of its streets. Buildings as such, however, did not show. But he
made out the spaceport and the shadow of the landing grid, and in the
very center of that grid there was something silvery which cast a shadow
of its own. A ship. A liner.

There was a tap on the control-room door. Thal.

"Anything happening?" he asked uneasily.

"I just sighted the ship we're going to take," said Hoddan.

Thal looked unhappy. He withdrew. Hoddan plotted out the extremely
roundabout course he must take to end up with the liner and the yacht
traveling in the same direction and the same speed, so capture would be
possible.

He put the yacht on the line required. He threw on full power. Actually,
he headed partly away from his intended victim. The little yacht plunged
forward. Nothing seemed to happen. Time passed. Hoddan had nothing to do
but worry. He worried.

Thal tapped on the door again.

"About time to get ready to fight?" he asked dolefully.

"Not yet," said Hoddan. "I'm running away from our victim, now."

* * * * *

Another half hour. The course changed. The yacht was around behind
Walden. The whole planet lay between it and its intended prey. The
course of the small ship curved, now. It would pass almost close enough
to clip the topmost tips of Walden's atmosphere. There was nothing for
Hoddan to do but think morbid thoughts. He tho