ouldn't like it," muttered Voorhis, staring sourly at the village.

"No doubt," grinned Mayne.

Melin swallowed and returned to an inner pocket a sheaf of papers he had
withdrawn.

"Speaking very loosely," he went on, as if hating to do anything
loosely, "the coverage was about as follows: for the _Gemsbok_ herself,
two million; but that was really a nominal figure accorded as a sort of
courtesy. Otherwise, at her true worth, the authorities would hardly
have permitted Captain Voorhis to take her into space--"

"Get on with it," urged Mayne, to forestall any wrangle.

"Er ... yes. Then on the cargo, the purchase cost of two hundred
thousand credits."

Voorhis visibly flinched and began to acquire a ruddy hue.

"And, finally, on the fuel load, the cost price of three hundred
thousand. Of course, Judge, there are detailed clauses as to normal use
of fuel. He was actually insured against defects, premature explosions,
accidental loss, et cetera."

Mayne did some addition in his head.

"So your company," he said aloud, "is prepared to pay two and a half
million for the loss sustained by Captain Voorhis. What seems to be
wrong with that?"

Both men began to talk but Melin, struggling less with temper, got the
lead.

"Actually," he said, "we feel liable for only three hundred thousand."

_Now it will get tough_, thought Mayne. He silently awaited elucidation.

The combined stares of all parties, including the enigmatic glance of
Eemakh, calmed the spluttering Voorhis. Melin continued.

"In the first place, the true value of the ship, even if we consider her
to be incapacitated--which we do not--is only about one hundred and
fifty thousand."

"She's worth more than that as scrap!" bellowed Voorhis.

"No, captain, just about that. It is exactly how we valued her. Do you
have any idea, Judge, of how old that crock is?"

"Let's not go into that just yet," suggested Mayne.

"As to the fuel," said Melin, "I am willing, as a gesture of good will,
to stick my company's neck out--and mine with it, you may be sure--and
honor a full claim."

"Even though he used about half the fuel getting here?" asked Mayne.

"We'll ignore that. We admit that he is out of fuel, and we want to--"

"You want to give me a moon and take a star," said Voorhis.

"Just a minute!" Mayne held up his hand. "That's the ship and the fuel.
What about the cargo?"

"Why, as to that, Judge, we do not admit that it is lost. It is right
over