*

That would have been something to see! The box was of thin, strong
metal, but it was heavy. With no other purchase but his teeth, Tolto
dragged it to him, on top of him. Now his hands could help a little.
He inched it down toward his knees, fearful each moment that a lurch
of the ship might precipitate it to the floor with a crash. When his
head could push no longer his knees grasped the end of the chest, and
managed to pull it down.

Tolto had never heard of the wrestling hold known as the scissors, but
he applied it to that box. His mighty sinews cracked under the strain,
and stabbing pain tore at his hips. But he persisted, and with a
protesting rasp the lid was telescoped inward, breaking the lock.

Breathless, he waited. After minutes he decided that the sound had not
attracted attention.

Again he brought his teeth into play, and this time, when the box
stood open, Tolto's lips were lacerated by the jagged edges of twisted
metal. Triumphantly, he looked inside.

The box contained a set of counterweights for the hydrogen integrator
motors.

No bar, nothing that might be utilized to twist off the eyebolts!

Again he set to work. The next box was longer, heavier. It was coated
with unpleasantly rancid oil. Tolto's broad chest was covered with
blood, partly from gouges in his skin, partly from his crushed lips.
But this time he found a bar. It was in the bottom, under some extra
valves, but eventually his teeth closed on it, and he fell back,
nearly exhausted, for a moment's rest.

He heard a door slam beyond the galley. The words floated out:

"--better go see how he's coming along."

* * * * *

The horrified mate saw the wrecked boxes, the blood-covered giant with
a thick steel bar in his teeth, the extra valves scattered about the
floor. He whipped out his neuro-pistol, pointed it at Tolto.

But Tolto made no move to resist when the shaken officer gingerly took
the bar out of his mouth. He did not move when several shipmen, called
by the officer, moved everything out of reach. After half an hour,
with many awed comments, they left him alone.

Tolto's battered lips opened in what might have been a grin. Painfully
he rolled off the single valve that had been digging into the small of
his back. He patiently resumed the tedious task of bringing the valve
in reach of his locked hands.

The valve stem was stout, and a foot long. It was just long enough so
that Tolto, by