in
his neck. "They hadn't arrived when I left the house," he said
truthfully enough.

Jurgens reached out for tobacco and filled a pipe. He fumbled in his
pockets, as if looking for a light. "Too bad. I knew you weren't in top
shape, so I figured a convoy might be handy. Well, no matter. Trench
left some instructions about you, and--"

His voice was perfectly normal, but Gordon saw the hand move suddenly
toward the drawer that was half-open. And the cigarette lighter was
attached to the other side of the desk.

The locust stick left Gordon's hand with a snap. It cut through the air
a scant eight feet, jerked to a stop against Jurgens' forehead and
clattered onto the top of the desk, while Jurgens folded over, his mouth
still open, his hand slumping out of the drawer. The club rolled toward
Gordon, who caught it before it could reach the floor.

But Jurgens was only momentarily out. As Gordon slipped the loop over
his wrist again, one of the new captain's hands groped, seeking a button
on the edge of the desk.

The two corporals were at the door when Gordon threw it open, but they
drew back at the sight of his drawn gun. Feet were pounding below as he
found the entrance that led to the truck. He hit the seat and rammed
down the throttle with his foot before he could get his hands on the
wheel.

It was a full minute before sirens sounded behind him, and Nick the
Croop had fast trucks. He spotted the squad car far behind, ducked
through a maze of alleys, and lost it for another few precious minutes.
Then a barricade lay ahead.

The truck faltered as it hit the nearly finished obstacle, and Gordon
felt his stomach squashing down onto the wheel. He kept his foot to the
floor, strewing bits of the barricade behind him, until he was beyond
the range of the Legal guns that were firing suddenly. Then he stopped
and got out carefully, with his hands up.

"Captain Bruce Gordon, with two prisoners--bodyguards of Captain
Jurgens," he reported to the three men in bright new Legal uniform who
were approaching warily. "How do I sign up with you?"

Chapter XIII

ARREST MAYOR WAYNE!

The Legal forces were shorthanded and eager for recruits. They had
struck quickly, according to plans made by experts on Earth, and now
controlled about half of Marsport. But it was a sprawling crescent
around the central section, harder to handle than the Municipal
territory. Bruce Gordon was sworn in at once.

Then he cooled his h