went outside and squinted along the dim, narrow
street. Four or five drunks, none tall enough to be Konnel, were
slowly and softly singing their way home. The door slid open behind me
and the other two came out quickly.

"Oh, there you are! I asked around too," said Howlet in a low voice.
"Can you trust that Jorgensen? They wouldn't let me in the office
behind the back room."

"He's a better sport than he looks," I said.

"I wonder," murmured Meadows. "He looked queer when I was so far
ahead. Or maybe one of his huskies got ideas about keeping a handy
hostage...."

Howlet suddenly looked dangerous. I gathered that he thought something
of the boy, and was heating up to the door-smashing stage.

"Let's check one other place," I suggested, "before we make a
mistake."

* * * * *

My starting off fast up the street left him the choice of coming
quietly or staying to wonder. They both came. I could feel them
watching me.

I turned right into a narrow street, went along it about fifty yards,
and paused where it was crossed by a still narrower alley. Hoping I
remembered the way, I groped along the lefthand branch of the alley. A
trace of light had begun to soften the sky over the dome, but had not
yet seeped down to ground level.

Howlet's soft footsteps trailed me. I knocked on what seemed to be the
right door. There was no answer--only to be expected. I hammered
again.

"No one aboard, it would appear," murmured Meadows.

It was meant as a question. I shrugged in the darkness and banged
longer and louder. Finally, listening at the flimsy panel, I detected
muffled footsteps.

The door opened a crack.

"It's Tony Lewis, Lilac."

* * * * *

The black opening widened, until she must have seen the two behind me.
She wore a thin robe that glimmered silver in the dim light.

"Send the boy out, Lilac," I said.

"Why should I?"

That much was good; she might have pretended not to have him there.

"He has to catch his ship, Lilac."

Behind me, I heard Howlet stir uneasily. The door began to close, but
my foot was in the track. Howlet could not see that.

"Don't shut it, sister," he said, "or we'll smash it down!"

He could have too, in about ten seconds, the way they build on Mars.

"You wanna get yourself lynched?" Lilac warned him.

"Over a--on account of _you_?"

"Shut up, Howlet!" I interrupted. "Let me talk to the lady alone!"

He mus