omorrow evening, though.
We'll have the hold just about filled by that time. Then it won't matter
too much if the natives change their minds about letting us take the
ores. How does that sound to you?"

"Fair enough," Sweets agreed.

* * * * *

The next evening, a full-fledged party was held. Permission had been
obtained from Chief Faffin for the crew to visit the village and the
tribesmen were waiting for them when they arrived.

Sweets stayed close to Majesky. For the past couple days, the big
crewman had been drinking--not heavily, but steadily. The irritation of
being restricted to the ship and vicinity, added to the long trip out
from Earth, had gradually built up in him an ugly resentment.

Now as the crew members sat in a circle watching the dancing of a
half-dozen native men, Sweets noted that Majesky was drunk. He sat with
his arms wrapped around his legs, his head resting on his knees, and
glared at the dancers. Outside the circle, a pile of brush burned with
much crackling of wood-pitch.

After the dance was over, the natives sat solemnly watching the
Earthmen. It was soon apparent that they expected their visitors to
furnish the next portion of the entertainment program.

Evidently Bruckner had come prepared for this. He rose impressively from
his throne--on which he had been carried the quarter-mile from the
ship--and said, "We'll have your song now, Billy."

Billy Watts, astrogator of the crew, pulled himself to his feet and, in
a high boyish tenor, sang _I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen_.

Sweets felt his throat quicken as a wave of homesickness went through
him like a chill. At the song's end, it needed the yip, yip, yip of the
tribesmen's applause to bring him out of his memories of Earth.

The tribesmen continued their applause until Watts rose again. Sweets
wondered if they had any music of their own. The men had danced earlier
without accompaniment and they had made no sound themselves.

Billy Watts sang two more songs and it was the tribesmen's turn again.

Suddenly a native woman ran out from behind one of the round, mud-packed
village huts and into the circle of spectators. She paused on tiptoe,
crouched and sprang upward, twisting and screaming as she rose. She
landed with her legs in driving motion and went through a racing,
energetic series of gyrations. She was almost completely unclothed.

* * * * *

For a stunned