was all right, that it was just the sudden glare that
paralyzed me, and to get his arms off my neck before I strangled. No
attention did I get from him at all in that respect, but plenty of
other unneeded help. Wriggle and swear as I might, with that helmet
scoring a raw groove in my neck, I was toted below and dropped on my
bunk with, I suppose, what whoever carried me would call gentleness.

The anxious officer in front of me, when the action was over, had the
physician's harried look. He liked my language not one little bit, and
only Smith's authority kept him from calling corpsmen to muzzle me
while he examined my eyes. When my sore eyes had accustomed themselves
to the dim light in the cabin, Smith led the officer to the door of
the hatch or whatever they call it, explaining that the recalcitrant
patient would doubtless be later in a more receptive mood.

"If you think so," I yelled at his indignant ramrod back, "you must
try sticking in your head and see what happens." I don't like anyone
to poke anything in my eyes anytime.

Smith shut the door quickly. "Must you bellow like that? He was trying
to help you."

I knew that, but I was mad. "I don't want any help. I could have made
it down here under my own power, and you know it."

Smith sat down. "These your cigarettes? Thanks." He lit his own and
puffed furiously. "I don't think you can reasonably expect to be let
alone, Peter. After all, you're a very valuable--"

"--piece of property. Sure. In the meantime I don't want anyone
fooling around me."

He smoked in silence, thinking. That meant trouble.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

He reached for the ashtray. "Ready to talk now?"

"Sure," I said. "Talk or listen?"

"A little of both."

I talk too much. It would do me no harm to listen. "Shoot."

"This, then, Peter, is the situation; you, without a doubt, are the
most remarkable person in the whole wide world. Almost an institution
in yourself."

I grinned. "Like the Maine farmer; a character."

"Right. As far as I, and anyone else that has had any contact with you
at all, can tell or even guess, you are absolutely and perfectly
unique."

"You said that before."

"So I did. You know--" and he held my eye steadily--"you're so
completely unique, and so--dangerous, that more than once I have been
personally tempted to arrange your--elimination. From behind."

I couldn't put up more than a weak grin for that. I had wondered about
that, myself. A varia