, with its hood and
mantel actually over his head. The Lady Fani sat there with him.

Don Loris seemed to put aside his peevishness only a little to greet
Hoddan.

"My dear fellow," he said complainingly, "I don't like to welcome you
with reproaches, but do you know that when you absconded with that
spaceboat, you made a mortal enemy for me? It's a fact! My neighbor, on
whose land the boat descended, was deeply hurt. He considered it his
property. He had summoned his retainers for a fight over it when I heard
of his resentment and partly soothed him with apologies and presents.
But he still considers that I should return it to him, whenever you
appear here with it!"

"Oh," said Hoddan. "That's too bad."

Things looked ominous. The Lady Fani looked at him strangely. As if she
tried to tell him something without speaking it. She looked as if she
had wept lately.

"To be sure," said Don Loris fretfully, "you gave me a very pretty
present just now. But my retainers tell me that you came back with a
ship. A very fine ship. What became of it? The landing grid has been
repaired at last and you could have landed it. What happened to it?"

"I gave it away," said Hoddan. He saw what Fani was trying to tell him.
One corridor ... no, two ... leading toward the great hall was filled
with spearmen. His tone turned sardonic. "I gave it to a poor old man."

Don Loris shook his head.

"That's not right, Hoddan! That fleet overhead, now. If they are pirates
and want some of my men for crews, they should come to me! I don't take
kindly to the idea of your kidnaping my men and carrying them off on
piratical excursions! They must be profitable! But if you can afford to
give me presents like that, and be so lavish with my retainers ... why I
don't see why--"

Hoddan grimaced.

"I came to arrange a deal on that order," he observed.

"I don't think I like it," said Don Loris peevishly. "I prefer to deal
with people direct. I'll arrange about the landing grid, and for a
regular recruiting service which I will conduct, of course. But you ...
you are irresponsible! I wish you well, but when you carry my men off
for pirates, and make my neighbors into my enemies, and infect my
daughter with strange notions and the government of a friendly planet
asks me in so many words not to shelter you any longer ... why that's
the end, Hoddan. So with great regret--"

"The regret is mine," said Hoddan. Thoughtfully, he aimed a stun-pistol
at a