rcumstances, to be aware of opportunity was to act. Big
paws, some bare and calloused, some in the gloves of space suits,
reached out, grabbed. Teeth bit. Juice squirted, landing on hard metal
shaped for the interplanetary regions.

So far, fine. John Endlich felt prouder of himself--he'd expected a
certain fierceness and lack of manners. But knowing all he did know, he
should have taken time to visualize the inevitable chain-reaction.

"Thanks, pal.... You're a prince...."

Sure--but the thanks were more of a mockery than a formality.

"Hey! None for me? Whatsa idea?..."

"Shuddup, Mic.... Who's dis guy?... Say, Friend--you wouldn't be that
pun'kin-head we been hearin' about, would you?... Well--my gracious--bet
you are! Dis'll be nice to watch!..."

"Where's Alf Neely, Cranston? What we need is excitement."

"Seen him out by the slot-machines. The bar is still out of bounds for
him. He can't come in here."

"Says who? Boss Man Mahoney? For dis much sport Neely can go straight to
hell! And take Boss Man with him on a pitchfork.... Hey-y-y!...
Ne-e-e-e-l-y-y-y!..."

The big man whose name was called lumbered to the window at the entrance
to the bar, and peered inside. During the last couple of months he'd
been in a perpetual grouch over his deprivation of liberty, which had
rankled him more as an affront to his dignity.

When he saw the husband of the authoress of his woes--the little bum,
who, being unable to guard his own, had allowed his woman to holler
"Cop!"--Neely let out a yell of sheer glee. His huge shoulders hunched,
his pendulous nose wobbled, his squinty eyes gleamed and he charged into
the bar.

John Endlich's first reaction was curiously similar to Neely's. He felt
a flash of savage triumph under the stimulus of the thought of immediate
battle with the cause of most of his troubles. Temper blazed in him.

Belatedly, however, the awareness came into his mind that he had started
an emotional avalanche that went far beyond the weight and fury of one
man like Neely. Lord, wouldn't he ever learn? It was tough as hell to
crawl, but how could a man put his wife and kids in awful jeopardy at
the hands of a flock of guys whom space had turned into gorillas?

Endlich tried for peace. It was to his credit that he did so quite
coolly. He turned toward his charging adversary and grinned.

"Hi, Neely," he said. "Have a drink--on me."

The big man stopped short, almost in unbelief that anyone could stoop