instructors and libraries of tape for them, generators, and
such things."

"Hm-m-m," said the lawyer. "I will send one of our clerks to examine
your cargo so he can deal properly with the brokers. You will tell him
in detail what you wish to buy."

Hoddan stood up.

"I'll take him to the ship now."

He was mildly surprised at the smoothness with which matters proceeded.
He took a young clerk to the ship. He showed him the ship's papers as
edited by himself. He took him through the cargo holds. He discussed in
some detail what he wished to buy.

When the clerk left, Thal came to complain again.

"Look here!" he said bitterly, "we've scrubbed this ship from one end
to the other! There's not a speck or a fingermark on it. And we're still
scrubbing! We captured this ship! Is this pirate revels?"

Hoddan said:

"There's money coming. I'll let you boys ashore with some cash in your
pockets presently."

Brokers came, escorted by the lawyer's clerk. They squabbled furiously
with him. But the dignity of the firm he represented was extreme. There
was no suspicion--no overt suspicion anyhow--and the furs went. The
clerk painstakingly informed Hoddan that he could draw so much. More
brokers came. The jewelry went. The lawyer's clerk jotted down figures
and told Hoddan the net. The bulk melacynth was taken over by a group of
brokers, none of whom could handle it alone.

Hoddan drew cash and sent his Darthians ashore with a thousand credits
apiece. With bright and shining faces, they headed for the nearest bars.

"As soon as my ship's loaded," Hoddan told the clerk, "I'll want to get
them out of jail."

The clerk nodded. He brought salesmen of agricultural machinery.
Representatives of microfilm libraries. Manufacturers of generators,
vision-tape instructors and allied lines. Hoddan bought, painstakingly.
Delivery was promised for the next day.

"Now," said the clerk, "about the investments you wish to make with the
balance?"

"I'll want a reasonable sum in cash," said Hoddan reflectively. "But....
well ... I've been told that insurance is a fine, conservative business.
As I understand it, most insurance organizations are divided into
divisions which are separately incorporated. There will be a
life-insurance division, a casualty division, and so on. Is that right?
And one may invest in any of them separately?"

The clerk said impassively:

"I was given to understand, sir, that you are interested in
risk-insuran