in the tight spots." He gave Dal a
lop-sided grin. "Welcome aboard," he said. "We'd better get this crate
airborne before the people here come and cart it away."

They moved then, and the subject was dropped. Half an hour later the
_Lancet_ lifted through the atmospheric pull of the Moruan planet and
moved on toward the next contact point, leaving the recovering patient
in the hands of the native physicians. It was not until hours later that
Dal noticed that Fuzzy had stopped quivering, and was resting happily
and securely on his shoulder even when the Blue Doctor was near.

CHAPTER 7

ALARUMS AND EXCURSIONS

Once more the crew of the _Lancet_ settled down to routine, and the
incident on Morua VIII seemed almost forgotten.

But a change had come about in the relations between the three doctors,
and in every way the change was for the better. If Jack Alvarez was not
exactly cordial to Dal Timgar, at least he had dropped the open
antagonism that he had shown before. Apparently Tiger's angry outburst
had startled Jack, as though he had never really considered that the big
Earthman might honestly be attached to his friend from Garv II, and the
Blue Doctor seemed sincere in his agreement to work with Dal and Tiger
as a team.

But bit by bit Dal could sense that the change in Jack's attitude went
deeper than the surface. "You know, I really think he was _scared_ of
me," Dal said one night when he and Tiger were alone. "Sounds silly, but
I think it's true. He pretends to be so sure of himself, but I think
he's as worried about doing things wrong as we are, and just won't admit
it. And he really thought I was a threat when I came aboard."

"He probably had a good thorough briefing from Black Doctor Tanner
before he got the assignment," Tiger said grimly.

"Maybe--but somehow I don't think he cares for the Black Doctor much
more than we do."

But whatever the reason, much of the tension was gone when the _Lancet_
had left the Moruan system behind. A great weight seemed to have been
lifted, and if there was not quite peace on board, at least there was an
uneasy truce. Tiger and Jack were almost friendly, talking together more
often and getting to know each other better. Jack still avoided Dal and
seldom included him in conversations, but the open contempt of the first
few weeks on the ship now seemed tempered somewhat.

Once again the _Lancet_'s calls fell into a pattern. Landings on the
outpost planets became