ficer, who certainly should have
known.

But wait a minute. What about Philander? He knew. Hadn't the hypnosis
worked on him? Or was that name "Algon" merely one the super used in
place of the real one he didn't know he knew? Or, again, could it be
that he was so well trusted that the knowledge had not been sealed off
from him?

Of the three, Hanlon argued the latter was probably the truth.

Another point. That vague reference to "if or when you leave here" was
undoubtedly a slip of the tongue. Philander had probably guessed--or
perhaps it was so with all first-time men--that Hanlon was here on
probation. "If so," the thought was insistent, "I sure will have to
watch my step every minute, and not let slip what I'm trying to do
here." But further moments of thought brought the reasonable conclusion
that he could lull their suspicion by buckling down and making a real
record for efficiency.

Or ... and this gave him the cold shivers for a moment, so that he
instinctively burrowed a bit further down beneath the sheet, as though
it could protect and warm him ... did they know all about him already,
and had sent him here to get rid of him? Was he to become another victim
of one of the leader's "little accidents"?

Yes, if they still disbelieved his story about his dismissal, they might
well be determined to get rid of him in a way that would not incriminate
them. They would know that if Hanlon was still a Corpsman his death
would be most thoroughly investigated.

Perhaps ... but if that was the case, why let him get here at all? His
"accident"--fatal, of course (so sorry!)--could just as well have
occurred on the way. No, more likely he was still on probation. They
were not quite sure of him, but were giving him the benefit of the
doubt. The leader seemed to like him, in a curious way.

Well, he was now warned, and would watch himself more carefully than
ever ... and he had learned a lot, and would learn more. He smiled
contentedly and went back to sleep.

* * * * *

The next day he had his first taste of guarding the natives as they
worked. The superintendent himself inducted him into the task.

Shortly before shift time, Philander appeared at Hanlon's room just as
the young man was putting on the special clothing he had been told to
wear on duty in the mine.

"Ready?" Philander was strangely courteous and co-operative. "Let's go
collect your crew."

They went over to the stock