again with huge crates that were apparently
in somewhat poorer condition than when they left Arcturus II. An
occasional splintered board jutted outward, held to its box only by
loose nails.

Three men were next to the hold's hatch. They stood grouped about an
elongated form that lay on the concrete apron, covered with a white
square of linen. A spacesuit clad arm jutted out under one side of the
covered square.

"We'll take you over to the office," Inspector Graham was saying.
"You'll have to make out an affidavit, you know. We'll need a couple of
your crewmen to verify it."

"Be glad to," Altman answered. "Any time you're ready."

"As soon as they pick up--Conally," the inspector looked down at the
form.

"I don't understand it," Jim muttered, rubbing a thumb and forefinger
over closed eyelids.

"_Maybe I've got a version that's easier to understand, Jim_," the voice
sounded forcefully from the direction of the hatch.

Inspector Graham and Altman spun around.

Jim didn't have to. He was facing the hatch.

Altman blanched; backed away; stopped, and held his ground.

"Brad!" Jim shouted unbelievingly and rushed forward to grasp his arms
as the Fleury's skipper leaped off the side of the ramp. He was haggard
but smiling.

"Who's this?" the inspector asked.

"This is Conally, the skipper of the Fleury," Jim explained jubilantly.

The inspector started, looked at the form on the apron, back at Brad,
then at Altman.

"A trick!" Altman cried hoarsely. "I see it all, inspector. It's a
damned trick! I've been roped in!"

He was putting on a rather good act, Brad thought. But he went along
with his story anyway. As Brad unfolded the incidents of sabotage,
threat, assault, refusal to assist, pirating cargo, plotting murder and
disregard of Space Code Regulations, he watched Altman gain more control
over himself.

"I realized about an hour before spillthrough," Brad was approaching the
end of his account, "that the Fleury was no longer holding the spilled
cargo in an orbit because its grav system wasn't working. Whatever
crates broke free from the holds also broke free from the ship's system
and were no longer being dragged down the descending node toward
spillthrough. They were remaining stationary on the arc--where Altman
was sure to pick them up.

"Your spacesuit, Jim, came in handy. Without it, nothing could have been
done. I just filled it up with anything I could find--extra clothing,
insulation from