even seen me, and I'm sure that after three weeks of being
locked in this prison whatever beauty I may have had has disappeared."

"Your thoughts are beautiful, Sonali," said Juan Pedro, "and with us,
that is all that counts."

"It is written," said a third voice, "that he who disturbs the slumber
of his betters will wake somebody up. You people are giving me dreams,
with your ceaseless mental chatter."

"Ah!" the Spaniard said. "Mr. Matsukuo, may I--"

"I heard, Romeo, I heard," said the Hawaiian. "An ex-cop, eh? I wonder
if I like you? I'll take a few thousand years to think it over; in the
meantime, you may treat me as a friend."

"I'll try to live down my reputation," said Houston.

* * * * *

It was an odd feeling. Physically, he was alone. Around him, he could
see nothing but the blackness of space and the glitter of the stars. He
knew that the sun must be shining on the back of his own personal
asteroid, but he couldn't see it. As far as his body was concerned,
there was nothing else in the universe but a chunk of pitted rock and a
set of chains.

But mentally, he felt snug and warm, safe in the security of good
friends. He felt--

"David! David! Help me! Oh, David, David, David!"

It was Dorrine, coming up from her slumber. Like a crashing blare of
static across the neural band, her wakening mind burst into sudden
telepathic activity.

* * * * *

Gently, Houston sent out his thoughts, soothing her mind as he had
soothed Harris's mind weeks before. And he noticed, as he did it, that
the other three were with him, helping. By the time Dorrine was fully
awake, she was no longer frightened or panicky.

"You're wonderful people," she thought simply, after several minutes.

"To one so beautiful, how else could we be?" asked Juan Pedro.

"Ignore him, Dorrine," said Sonali, "he tells me the same thing."

"But not in the same way, _amiga_!" the Spaniard protested. "Not in the
same way. The beauty of your mind, Sonali, is like the beauty of a
mountain lake, cool and serene; the beauty of Dorrine is like the beauty
of the sun--warm, fiery, and brilliant."

"By my beard!" snorted Matsukuo. "Such blather!"

"I'll be willing to wager my beautiful _hacienda_ in the lovely
countryside of Aragon against your miserable palm-leaf _nipi_ shack on
Oahu that you have no beard," said Juan Pedro.

"Hah!" said Matsukuo; "that's all I need now--Castles i